Ghost Girl
by Amaranthyn
Summary: Minoto Aika was different; an outcast due to her strange gift to see ghosts. It seemed almost irrelevant when she woke up in a school where almost everyone could see ghosts too. Slowly, the school she found herself in revealed how twisted it was as it forced others to do its bidding, leading her to think: why was she brought here against her will to begin with? Ch. 1 & 2 rewritten!
1. Chapter 1

_**ATTENTION:**_

 **As of August 2, 2017, this chapter has been rewritten! Yay! Joyous day!**

 **Enjoy this revised version of the chapter that's actually 2000K words longer than the original!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Corpse Party or any of its characters. I do own Aika Minoto as she is my own character.**

 **Warning: This is an M rated fic, meaning there will be M rated contents (such as character deaths, blood and gore, and overall nasty things...**

 **(Note: SMUT WILL _NOT_ BE PRESENT)**

 **Warning: This is unbeta'd. All mistakes are my own.**

* * *

 _When I woke up, I was cold. There was a calming numbness surrounding me which didn't scare me as much as it probably should have. I didn't really care all too much… I was just drifting in my own universe._

"... Is she... dead...?"

 _I had no recollection of where I was... I tried to rack my brain for any memory of where I was but nothing came up. My mind drew a major blank which left me wondering exactly what was going on. Should I be scared?_

"No, she's alive. She's still breathing."

 _There were voices... they sounded familiar... I was scared. I definitely wasn't at home anymore. Was I still in school? Did I take a nap? It seemed plausible but unlikely... Nobody spoke to me at school. Why can't I remember where I am?_

"Then why the fuck won't she wake up? We're wasting time. We don't need to pick up everyone we pass…"

I didn't want to wake up... I was content not knowing where I was or who I was with. I liked this cold numbness… It made me forget all the horrors I had to face in everyday life. I almost felt... normal. Was that weird? … it probably was.

"Shimada-san! Don't say things like that! We have to stick together in a place like this…"

Shimada-san... that surname sounds familiar. Did I know it? Perhaps from around... They most certainly aren't my friends. Were they a classmate? Maybe they're neighbours? I… just can't remember right now.

"Tch... Don't you realize who this is, Kirisaki-san? It's that ghost girl! You know, that freak who claims she sees ghosts? Probably all bullshit anyway."

Shimada-san... He… seems adequately aware of my _gifts_ … But who is Shimada-san? His voice sounds strikingly familiar. As well as that girl, Kirisaki-san. I must have met them before as well. Her female tone is even more recognizable than Shimada-san's male one… I'm thinking classmates from school.

"Back me up, Kizami-san. Tell her it's time to get going. This school gives me the creeps as much as it is…"

Shimada-san. Kirisaki-san. Kizami-san. Names so familiar... but at the same time aren't. I must be acquaintances with them. I might have helped them in the past if they were of the spirit realm... Or maybe I go to school with them? No... I just… Why can't I remember?

There was a sigh. It was long and tired, obviously annoyed with the situation. "We can't leave her, Shimada-san. Kirisaki-san, help me get her on my back."

"Of course, Kizami-san."

Without warning, something fiery hot grasped my arm. It felt like it was burning me; melting my skin alive. It sent painful waves of burning agony down my arm; constant as if I were being touched by the Sun. Instantly, I shot up. My green eyes were wide with fear and I bit my tongue to hold back the scream that was caught in my mouth. The group collectively gasped, jumping back in surprise. Words spilled out of one of their mouths; colourful words that sounded distinctly like another language.

I realized, with a silent gasp, that the three teenagers in front of me went to my school. My stomach knotted as I recognized the three; they were all in the eleventh grade while I had only started high school that year.

A pregnant silence draped over us. No one moved as they stared at me with suspicious glares.

I took this opportunity to look around. It was fairly dark, my eyes having a hard time adjusting. From what I could tell, I was currently half sitting in a long, ominous hallway. The wooden floorboards beneath me were dirty and full of holes and splinters. They would squeak at any small movement any of us made. The walls were chipping their paint, revealing the wooden structure underneath. It took a moment of staring to realize that the walls looked suspiciously like that of an older school.

"... Are you okay...?"

I blinked, taking a harsh inhale in as a feminine voice brought me back to the current situation at hand.

It was the girl, Kirisaki-senpai, who voiced her concerns for me. She wore the same school uniform as me; a white blouse sailor-style fuku - which had a few dirt spots - with green collar and red tie. She also had a green pleated skirt, in which both of her hands were rested on. Her greyish-green hair was pulled back into a pony tail with a white bow. Her turquoise eyes studied me hard, swirling with emotions. Her lips were parted slightly with worry.

I nod meekly, in my own state of shock. I couldn't grasp how I got here, nor where this place was. A part of me was touched that they would think to make sure I was okay… Wherever we are, it didn't look safe, nor did it feel like it. I tried my best not to bite my lip as I curled in on myself, feeling the heavy atmosphere of the school crush me.

"That's good. Do you know how you got here..." she paused as if trying to think of my name.

"Minoto Aika," I offered. I didn't feel offended at the fact she didn't know my real name; hardly anyone did. "But no... I don't remember how I got here. Do you happen to know where "here" is?"

The raven-haired male regained his composure, answering my question, "We're not exactly sure. But from the clues we found, this is Heavenly Host Elementary. Although… it's not what it seems to be."

The larger male of the two was also kneeling, next to the girl. He had short black hair, unkempt. On his shoulder was his standard Byakudan School maroon blazer. His white dress shirt was untucked and unbuttoned at the top, the sleeves rolled up as well. There was a silver chain hooked onto his black slacks. His eyes sent terrified shivers down my spine. They calculated me carefully, his dark orbs void of any emotion.

I swallowed to myself, trying to ignore the uneasiness I felt under his stare. His eyes enraptured me; I lost myself in the swirling pools of darkness before I tore myself away. I blinked towards the ground as I racked my brain for any mention of a Heaven Host. I can't say I've ever heard of the school, although I never really paid attention to other schools in the area of my own. The harder I thought, the more I realized I still couldn't remember how I got here.

"I… Never heard of it..." I admitted softly. "… and I have no memory of how I got here."

A snicker came from the redhead, "Probably one of your ghost friends."

My green eyes met the standing figure's icy blue eyes as he stared indifferently at me. They were swirling with emotions like Kirisaki-senpai's, but evidently darker ones than his female companion. His untamed, wild red hair draped down the back of his neck to his maroon blazer collar. He had a black choker and a winged pendant around his neck. His blazer itself had the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, unbuttoned to reveal his unbuttoned collared dress shirt and a black t-shirt. He had a golden belt buckle that shone brightly on his person, holding his black slacks up. There was a silver chain that hung off his waist.

"Shimada-san!"

Kirisaki-senpai made a move towards Shimada-senpai but I found myself reaching out to grab her skirt, "It's okay, Kirisaki-senpai..." She seemed confused with my actions, but I turned my head away from them as I acknowledged Shimada-senpai, "Uh... N-No Shimada-senpai… I'm not really sure how I got here… and I doubt ghosts would have the strength to take me here…"

The group looked dumbfounded when I addressed, senpai honorific and all. I sighed, straightening myself up and letting go of Kirisaki-senpai. "I go to your school... Your... names pop up quite frequently among my grade so it wasn't hard to put names to faces..." I left out the part of hearing them referring to each other by names… it didn't seem all that important.

Both Shimada-senpai and Kizami-senpai fell silent. Kirisaki-senpai had a guilty look on her face as if she regretted not knowing my name.

"Um... Minoto- _kouhai_ ," the girl began, forcing the term _kouhai_ from her mouth, "You're okay with calling me _Kirisaki-san_ if you want. I mean, we're all friends here, right? I don't think it'll really matter here anyway… we're all in the same boat."

Kizami-senpai nodded, agreeing with Kirisaki-senpai's statement. Shimada-senpai, on the other hand, snorted, obviously not pleased with that.

"I don't give a fuck what she calls you, but you better use _senpai_ , got it, _kouhai_?" he spat viciously.

"Shimada-san!"

"Let it go, Kirisaki-san... We don't have time for arguing." Kizami-senpai spoke up. "Anyway, seeing that you're here, you should come with us. Better chance of surviving if we stick together."

It took me a second to register Kizami-senpai's words, "Survive? You mean... we can die here?"

Kizami-senpai helped both myself and Kirisaki-senpai up as Shimada-senpai looked at me like I was a freak. I couldn't blame him though… I was a freak. How many people do I know with my... _gifts_? No one… exactly. I would want to avoid me like the plague too…

"What he meant," Shimada-senpai's voice was suddenly dangerously low. It sent shivers down my spine with the intensity. "This fucked up school kills - without mercy. It's full of corpses... Like a corpse party almost. Minus the booze, drugs and the party atmosphere... And it has ghosts... Lots and lots of fucked up ghosts. Then again, that's your turf, ain't it? Ghosts?"

I said nothing as Shimada-senpai glared at me with hatred boiling in his eyes. I turned my gaze away, finding a sudden interest in the floorboards. This was going to be a long day.

Kirisaki-senpai grimaced, offering me a small smile, "I… would disagree with him but he's right… We aren't exactly sure how we got here ourselves but we're looking for a way out. I'm pretty sure some of our other friends are here too but we can't find them… and Katayama-san's… hurt."

I moved away from the spot I was lying, brushing the dirt away from my skirt. I felt a shiver run down my spine as the chilliness of the building sank into my bones. I stood next to Kirisaki-senpai, feeling my stomach drop.

Although I couldn't picture exactly who Katayama-senpai was, although I recognized the name as one of their friends. I felt my mouth go dry at the words of him being hurt and the tone that she used. Kizami-senpai mentioned that we can die in here… so how hurt did she mean…?"

"H-hurt…?"

"The idiot got his leg stuck in some piano wire or something that someone decided to string… His own fault for not paying closer attention."

"Shimada-san," Kizami-senpai scolded. "You would've walked into it as well if Katayama-san never so you owe him your life…" The male sighed, turning to me with tired eyes, "But regarding his words… essentially that's true. Katayama-san suffered a serious leg wound so we're looking for a way out so we can get him medical attention."

Shimada-senpai snorted, "Maybe you guys. I have places to be."

"Can you be any more of a jerk?" the green-haired girl spat out hotly, glaring at him darkly.

The redhead merely grinned, putting his arms behind his head as if he had no cares in the world, "I suppose I could, but where's the fun in that?"

I felt out of place. I felt as if I was viewing things I had no business seeing them interacted between one another. They were friends while I was just an outcast eavesdropping. The fleeting thought of going on my own crossed my mind but the sheer fear of the unknown of this place kept me following them.

ꐑ(*ꐌ◡ꐌꐐ*)࿐࿔࿓

"Beginning to think there's no _fucking_ way out…"

It's been about a half hour now we've been walking around in search for clues for a way out. The trio ahead of me were pretty quiet, aside from the small talk of Kirisaki-senpai to Kizami-senpai, Shimada-senpai's flirting with Kirisaki-senpai and his near-constant complaining. It was almost comforting though; their idle chatter kept the emptiness of this school, as they claimed, at bay. It didn't seem as empty with the subtle sounds of their voices.

I was promptly forgotten about… Kizami-senpai remained diligently silent as if lost in his own world, even ignoring some of Kirisaki-senpai's attempt to talk with him. Kirisaki-senpai, as sweet as she seemed, forgot about me as she dealt with Shimada-senpai's unwanted advances instead. Shimada-senpai was generally disinterested in me; he didn't even bother bullying me, so flirtatious advancements were out of the question…

But not unwanted. My face flushed at the thought of Shimada-senpai. My head drifted down, eyes staring fixated to the rotting floors below me. I tried to push my silly fantasies from my head, trying to keep my head in the real world but I lost myself to my imagination.

He was one of the – if not the most – attractive guys in school. Even though he was more popular among the delinquent girls, he could still make a cheerleader blush… and myself blush as well. The only ones seemingly unaffected by his charms were the females closest to him… especially Kirisaki-senpai who seemed appalled by him. But he still tried… no matter how many times she shot him down…

I sighed inwardly, trying to force the thoughts away. There is no chance for Shimada-senpai to ever flirt with me, so I should probably stop thinking about that while I'm ahead. I'm just some random girl who can see ghosts on a normal basis… what a turn off that must be.

Speaking of ghosts, Shimada-senpai wasn't kidding when he mentioned the presence of ghosts here. At first, I thought he was kidding, or if anything exaggerating because of the spooky atmosphere this place gave off. But he wasn't, and before long I nearly ran straight into the floating body of a departed person. They didn't seem to notice us, rather just an array of blue hues drifting aimlessly in the hall. I could pick out gentle moans that they released as they drifted into the wall without a care for us.

It was unsettling at first; normally the ghosts I saw were more… animated? For lack of better wording. The ghost that just passed seemed lost in their own time and space; I couldn't catch anything off their appearance aside from the fact that it looked like they were wearing a uniform of sorts – a school uniform?

The school wasn't that full of ghosts… but enough to keep popping out of nowhere. The others didn't seem to notice them, except for when Shimada-senpai stepped through one before visibly shivering… then promptly complaining about the temperature of the building. I stifled a smile, weaving around the poor soul who moaned about their head hurting which put a damper on my mood.

I wanted to reach out to these ghosts; I wanted to do my job and appease them. I never really knew why I was granted gifts like mine, but I tried my best to utilize them to the best of my ability. Because of this, rumours about me spread like wild fire throughout the school that I delved in dark arts and magic… All I really did was seek out those who couldn't pass by themselves and offered my assistance… nothing really more than that; I didn't think it was fair to study them for my own amusement or fascination.

I sigh to myself, avoiding another ghost. I forced myself to try and go against my every instinct to chase after it in favour of following the seniors that didn't give any indication knowing I was here.

Not wanting to be completely forgotten, I push past Shimada-senpai and Kirisaki-senpai so I could walk in front of them. I don't know exactly why I did; perhaps it was just the emptiness of the school was beginning to eat at me. The floor moaned underneath my feet. I tried to force myself to walk through any ghost that would cross my path to seem more normal to the group that was now behind me. For compensation, I whispered them a small apology though.

" _Shit_... forgot she was here..." Shimada-senpai muttered quietly, confirming my earlier fears.

I bit my lip, trying to ignore the emptiness inside me. Instead, I looked up from the floor, eying another victim wandering aimlessly throughout the halls. I dared not speak to them out of fear of being thought crazy by my companions… Even if they thought I was schizophrenic already. I really shouldn't be bothered by it… but I guess there was something different about being forced in a confined space with people I hardly knew that I wanted to keep up somewhat of an appearance.

My green orbs drifted to the ghost that drifted into my sight. She offered a blue hue like the others I have seen. Her dead eyes met mine as I stared back at her. Her neck was brutally bent to one side, obviously broken as spit bubbled at the corners of her mouth. I was certain she was wearing a school uniform, a blouse with a skirt but that's all I grasped before my wrist was suddenly grasped from behind.

I felt my body suddenly snap back from the stopping power of the thing that grabbed me. I gasped out, feeling my arm tug painfully back, almost like it was being pulled from its socket. My mind couldn't grasp why I was suddenly forced to stop; it immediately ran all sort of weird possibilities of that couldn't be farther from the truth.

"Watch where you're fucking going!" Shimada-senpai spat harshly into my ear.

I looked down to see nothing. There was an empty abyss below me where I would have walked if Shimada-senpai never stopped me. It was terrifying how black it was – I never saw anything so dark before. At the same time, it almost seemed inviting to jump down... The darkness seemed oddly inviting despite the fear it brought to me.

"You nearly killed yourself..." he muttered angrily, hauling me away from the edge of the hole. "If you're gonna daydream, at least watch where you're heading... or stay behind us." He didn't let go of my wrist as we fell in behind Kirisaki-senpai and Kizami-senpai, who didn't say anything. Kizami-senpai had a weird glint in his eyes as he stalked me. Kirisaki-senpai offered a sheepish smile herself but offered no comment.

"I... I'm sorry... but... you can let go now..." I stuttered, unsure how to proceed with this development. I could feel my cheeks begin to flush red.

"Damn right you're sorry..." he snorted. "And why would I let go? So you can go off and jump into the next hole you see? What am I, stupid? I'd rather not be scarred for life by watching some stupid girl fall to her death because she wasn't paying attention…"

I started to blush harder, looking away from his face. I tried to pull my hand away, straying off to the side in attempts to dislodge his hand from my wrist. I heard him grunt at my effort before I felt myself being tugged back towards him, my face being smothered by his attire.

He scoffed into my ear before he allowed me a little leeway so I could see where he decided to point towards. "Clearly, you're incapable of walking by yourself, little Kouhai. You nearly fell into another crevasse…"

I felt my voice caught in the back of my throat. My face flushed red as I nodded against his chest. I hated how he was right, although the heat of his skin against mine felt… pleasant. I shouldn't be relishing in the feeling of it but I found myself submitting to his advances due to my own selfish desires.

As we walked away, Shimada-senpai still clutched my wrist tightly. It caused a pleasant pool of heat in my heart but I couldn't help but wonder why he was being so protective so suddenly. At first, it seemed he seemed so indifferent about my survival, clearly voicing that he would rather leave me behind. But here he was now… making sure I didn't fall into my death... My mind swirled with so many thoughts but I couldn't flag one down long enough for me to focus on it.

"Is... this an exit?" Kirisaki-senpai's voice tore me away from my thoughts.

She ran ahead of our group, towards the door that apparently appeared. I quickly looked around, not realizing where we were. The small lockers and benches indicated a foyer of some sort... fitting for an elementary school. From where I was standing, it looks like it was raining through the window that allowed a bit of light to seep into the darkness of the school. It wasn't until now that I realized how dark it really was in here until I saw the light illuminating the floor. Every so often, there would be a bright flash of lightning, quickly followed by a loud clap of thunder. I was somewhat shocked I never noticed the thunderous sound above us before.

The grip on my wrist tightened as Kirisaki-senpai opened the door. Shimada-senpai seemed to be anticipating something… perhaps going home so he could text his girlfriend or something…

The thought left a sour taste in my mouth.

"Eek! It's pouring!" she exclaimed, pulling back. She was already wet just by opening them. Her fuku grew a darker colour as the water was soaked up into it. She looked miserable as she wrung out the bottom of her shirt, wiping the drops off her face with her sleeve. "Ugh… I'm soaked…"

"Hey, Kirisaki-san! You look good while wet," Shimada-senpai smirked devilishly, letting go of my hand. He stalked towards her, his intents very clear. I almost reached out to grab his hand again. His touch was comforting to me; I never realized how much I would miss his touch until I lost it…

Kirisaki-senpai rolled her eyes, deciding to ignore his perverted comment. "We should go back to the others and tell them."

Others…? Oh right… Kirisaki-senpai mentioned that their other friends were here and that Katayama-senpai was waiting for them to return with a way out so he could receive medical treatment. I felt a weight lift off my heart at the thought of their friend getting help. Although I wasn't aware of the extent of his wounds, he must be in a lot of pain if what I was told was true…

Who would string piano wire up anyway?

Kizami-senpai nodded, agreeing with the girl. Shimada-senpai merely scoffed at them, turning towards the open door where the rain down poured, "Are you fucking kidding me? No way am I headin' back into that hell!"

"Shimada-san... We have to tell them," Kirisaki-senpai hissed. "We can't just let Katayama-senpai die! And we have to find the others as well!"

"Fuck that. It's their fault for staying in the first place!" he snapped. "Why should I get myself killed for their incompetence?"

He paused briefly, something dangerous flashing in his icy eyes. He carefully analyzed Kirisaki-senpai with a hungry expression. "You... should come with me. You're special to me and I'd hate to see you wound up dead. I'm sure everyone else will make it out all right…"

I felt an odd anger begin to pool in the bit of my stomach. I've felt this feeling many times before but on different subjects. This burning feeling was a permanent part of my life but it never came up in a situation like this before.

Why was I suddenly jealous? This isn't the first time that Shimada-senpai flirted with a girl… especially not the first time he flirted with Kirisaki-senpai in such a manner. He saved my life… and he seemed to care for me even if that time was so brief… For once, I felt like someone was genuinely concerned for me, so I suppose it was sort of a slap in the face when he still decided to go after Kirisaki-senpai… I guess I was just forgotten about once more.

I almost wanted to laugh at myself. Why was I so gullible? I fall head over heels for the first person to show any sort of acknowledgement of me? I really needed my head checked.

"Forget it, Shimada-san. How many times have you said that in the mirror?"

Shimada-senpai scoffed, almost chuckling. He muttered something in another language – English maybe? - before eying Kizami-senpai darkly. He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a knife.

He twirled it in his fingers, playing with the dangerous weapon. I caught Kirisaki-senpai's expression: she was wondering where he got it from and possibly _why_ he had it to begin with. He kept twirling it as if he was trying to make a point, although I wasn't sure what that point was. The blade glinted as a flash of lightning illuminated the blade, shining brightly into the darkness.

Why did Shimada-senpai have a knife on him? I knew he was more of a delinquent and liked to vandalize, but was there a need to have a knife? And judging by everyone's attire, they were plucked straight out of school or just after it, meaning that he had it _in_ school. I felt unsettled with the fact that the redhead felt a need to bring such a dangerous weapon to school for no apparent reason other than to look more intimidating to others.

"Bought this yesterday," he commented softly. He threw it up into the air once more, catching the handle while the tip of the blade was aimed in Kizami-senpai's direction. There was a brief pause before, "I can't wait to try it..."

His words were not as lost on me as I would like them to have been.

I turned to Kizami-senpai who stood motionless. I scanned his face for any sort of indication of what he was thinking. His dark eyes merely calculated the threat, his gaze unwavering as he studied Shimada-senpai intensely. After perhaps a full minute, a small smile formed on his face.

"Haha. You are amusing."

I gulped, watching the duo bewildered as my eyes drifted to Kirisaki-senpai. She had moved in front of the doors so the light made it difficult to see her expression. I couldn't pick out on her features if I was the only one that got an odd vibe from that statement. The tone seemed twisted; it was mixed between genuinely amused with a darker undertone that wasn't so easy to detect. Nevertheless, whatever Kizami-senpai was trying to get at, it sent shivers down my spine.

Shimada-senpai narrowed his eyes suspiciously at him before sheathing his knife in a belt loop instead of his breast pocket. He remained motionless for a moment, perhaps wondering what was going through the raven-haired male's head before he turned to me with a lazy tilt of the head, "What about you, Ghost-kouhai?"

I froze where I stood, my heart hammering in my ears. I was certain I was forgotten about once more as the exchange took place. I didn't move, nor did I make a sound so it struck me that the model remembered I was observing them as well. I was too shocked to call him out on the derogatory use of my "nickname".

"M-Me?" I squeaked.

The redhead rolled his eyes, "Who else, Kouhai?... Are you coming with me or what? I don't have all day."

I felt my mouth dry as I tried to comprehend his words. He… wanted me to go with him. Kirisaki-senpai didn't want to, so I assumed he was just going to go by himself as he didn't seem to keen with asking Kizami-senpai. Instead, he surprised me with offering to take me with him, although I wasn't exactly sure where we would go. We didn't know exactly _where_ we were, except for the location's name. It was thundering outside although I don't remember the forecast calling for any sort of rain all week…

For a moment, I fantasized about going with him. We would travel through the freezing downpour to the nearest town to ask for some help in rescuing our friends from some haunted abandoned school. We'd save them all and for some odd reason, Shimada-senpai would insist on staying my friend. Everything would blossom from there and by my last year of high school, we would be happy in a relationship with plans of living together after I got out of school…

Before my fantasy could continue any further, a large gust of wind blew from outside. The force caused rain to splash in, earning a curse from Shimada-senpai who was standing closest to the open doors. Kizami-senpai shielded Kirisaki-senpai from the blast as she cuddled into him as I turned my back, hoping to spare my face from the onslaught of the icy gale.

" _Don't... Go..."_

My head snapped up to the voice that suddenly my head. Floating in the once vacant doorway was a blue ghost who appeared. Water dripped from his lanky figure as he bobbed up and down in his spot, shivering as he wrapped his arms around his soaking body. His collared shirt stuck to his arms as he attempted to rub himself warm, his slacks hanging low from the excess water. His tie was tied around his forehead, perhaps to keep water from dripping into his eyes.

" _Endless sea of trees... On cursed grounds I see..."_

"Well, Kouhai?"

" _There's no way out..."_ the ghost moaned again, this time looking directly at me. I could see the terror in his eyes as I imagined him running through the sea of trees he spoke of. He jumped over fallen logs and busted through branches, perhaps even falling down a few times, maybe even twisting an ankle. Eventually, the excess amount of rain and cold would kill him off as pneumonia set in before he even made it back to the school for cover.

I shivered, gulping audibly.

I turned to my seniors who were staring at me weirdly. I felt my voice caught in my throat again as Shimada-senpai rose an eyebrow in a questioning manner. I had to remind myself that they probably couldn't see or hear what I did, so I looked like I was just staring off into space for no good reason.

"There isn't a way out..." I finally said after gathering enough courage to do so. I could feel Shimada-senpai's heated stare on my figure.

"How the _fuck_ do you know that?"

"There's... a spirit who told me..."

"Oh, you've got to be fucking kidding me…"

The redhead cursed in a language I was certain was English as he turned towards the door. I couldn't see his expression but I assumed he was debating whether to listen to me. I mean, it _did_ sound really strange, a ghost telling some random girl that it's not possible to get out through the forest.

He turned back towards me, his face unreadable. He studied me carefully as everyone remained quiet, even the ghost who was there to warn me seemed to have wandered off. The redhead appeared to be in some sort of battle with himself as he calculated me cooly.

"And you trust this ghost, do you?"

"I…"

Looking back at it, it did seem weird. I mean, how long was he out in the forest before he suddenly keeled over and died? This _is_ a school after all… so they wouldn't build a school out in the middle of nowhere, right? It would have to be nearby for someone to kidnap so many students to put them in this haunted freak show just to kill them… I almost wanted to say that I was mistaken, that the ghost was just a figment of my imagination but something gnawed at the back of my skull, urging me to trust the ghost as if my life depended on it.

Unfortunately for me, my life _did_ depend on it.

"Yes… I do. I trust him."

Stealing one last look at the door, the model sighed, walking towards it. For a second, I feared that he was going to go out anyway but he closed the doors instead, effectively staying inside with the rest of us. I offered him a sheepish smile as he gave me one last look, his eyes ever calculating before muttering something to himself in another tongue.

The other two were silent during our exchange, having moved out of the front hall back to the main hall in preparation to find the rest of their friends. Kirisaki-senpai seemed surprised to find that Shimada-senpai was coming with us after all, while Kizami-senpai remained indifferent about the whole thing.

We fell in behind them, Kirisaki-senpai leading the way with Kizami-senpai following closely behind her. I didn't pay much attention to where we were going, I was merely trapped in my own thoughts as I tried to piece together exactly just transpired.

"For the damned record," Shimada-senpai suddenly called out in my direction, his voice filling the soundless void. I nearly jumped from the suddenness of it. "The only reason I didn't go wasn't because of your stupid warning, Ghost-kouhai. I just didn't want to get wet; I have a photo shoot later and I didn't want to get my hair ruined… Besides, I don't feel like walking through the bush either."

I heard a snort, presumably from Kirisaki-senpai who was shaking her head no. Shimada-senpai sneered in response, scoffing to the side but no words were exchanged.

A smile came to my lips. I couldn't help but wonder if he was only saying that so we wouldn't get the wrong idea of him believing me… it seemed like something he would do just to prove a point. Whatever his reasoning though, his excuse still made me laugh quietly under my breath.

* * *

 **August 2017 Edit:**

 **Chapters are being rewritten and will soon be posted. This story is now live on AO3 as well if you prefer their format over Fanfiction.**


	2. Chapter 2

**_ATTENTION:_**

 **As of August 8th, 2017, this chapter has been rewritten! It is now 3000 words longer than the original chapter**

 **Warning: This fiction is rated M for a reason, which means that there is M-rated themes. There is death, violence and blood. You have been warned.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Corpse Party. The only thing I do own is Aika Minoto as she is my original character.**

 **NOTE: This story is UNBETA'D. That means that there are going to me grammatical and spelling errors. I tried my best to edit them out but I am only one human. Forgive me in advance.**

* * *

 _It all happened so fast... I could barely keep track of what was going on… It was like everything was a nightmare. I… Even now I'm not sure._

"So... who else is here…?"

 _I... I thought despite the conditions... I had some companions. For the first time in my life, I had someone to rely on. Someone I could turn to in case something happened. It was comforting for a bit._

"Well, let's see... there's obviously Shimada-san and Kizami-san… So… there's Urabe Emi-san… Katayama Ryosuke-san, and Ohkawa Tomohiro-san. We were also with Yamamoto Mistuki-san, Kurosaki Kensuke-san, and Fukuroi Masato-san but…"

 _I… don't understand this place. I can't grasp why it happened… or the events that lead to it. It made me question the true direness of the situation we found ourselves in… Who brought us here to begin with?_

"Wow... that's a lot," I murmured softly. It was striking how many people were brought here against their will… I could only wonder how many others were brought here as well.

Kirisaki-senpai nodded her head. "Yeah, we were all cleaning out the student council room. Urabe-san suggested we do the _Sachiko Forever After_ charm together. Done right, you'll stay friends with the others forever. Well… That's what was supposed to happen…" she trailed off, mumbling other questions under her breath. "I… I don't remember what happened after that though… like how we ended up here."

I bit my lip to stop myself from asking a question burning in my mind: why did Shimada-senpai participate? Why was he even in the council room to begin with? It was obvious to everyone in the school he wasn't really friends with them. He just seemed to hang out with them to more or less to annoy them… Perhaps they were closer friends than they all let on…

Another question burned into my brain: who would kidnap a bunch of students from school to bring them here? And while on that topic… why was I brought here? I don't _remember_ being at school… maybe I forgot a book and sort of got stuck in the crossfire? … I was certain I made it home though.

"Oh… I see..." I said after a period of silence. "Is… is everyone waiting for you?" I refrain from using us, deciding this was safer to ask.

"Nope... some are still missing... They're probably dead. But who really cares... we got to look out for ourselves here. If they aren't competent enough to then it sucks to be them."

"Shimada-san!"

I allowed myself to give a shaky laugh, trying to ease the tension Shimada-senpai's words brought. I felt brave enough to address Kizami-senpai about the situation, "How do you put up with this, Kizami-senpai… Oh, I mean Kizami-san?"

He stayed silent, his eyes trained forward. He seemed to ignore me, more out of not paying attention than being rude. His eyebrows suddenly rose when he finally noticed my eyes gazing up at him. He looked down at me, registering my question with knitted brows. His eyes swirled with untold emotions before a small smile formed on his lips, "I'm still trying to figure that one out..." There was a hint of amusement in his voice, but there was something else under it I couldn't quite place.

His answer made me shudder, my steps almost faulting as I stared worriedly at Kizami-senpai. A dark aura seemed to hang around him… but I pushed it off as just my imagination. I merely assumed I was just tired and confused, more than anything else dangerous…

"Cold are we, Ghost-kouhai?" Shimada-senpai chuckled as if it were funny.

"She does have a name, Shimada-san," the girl next to him spoke up for me.

The model promptly ignored her with a snort, shrugging off his blazer. He stepped closer to me with a touch of a smirk on his face, "Here. I don't want it anyway."

I stood confused for a second, my steps faulting. I looked between the outstretched arm and his face, trying to figure out what he was playing at. It took me longer than I'd like to admit to realize that he was offering his jacket for a bit of warmth so I wouldn't shiver anymore. I felt my cheeks heat up from embarrassment… though the gesture did make my heart flutter.

"I… I don't need your blazer, Shimada-senpai…"

His eyes narrowed as he blew a hot breath towards me, "Just take it. I don't want it and it's better than hearing your teeth chatter." He wasn't facing me; instead, he had his head turned towards one of the walls with apparent interest with the peeling paint.

I felt awkward standing there as he gave another huff, closing the gap between us. Without my consent, he draped the heavy fabric onto my shoulders without so much of a scowl on his face. I was pressured into wearing it, finding it was easier just to grin and bear it than to fight it. I slowly put my arms through the sleeves, the heat of my blush still present on my cheeks. It was far too big as it fell off my slim shoulders. The sleeves were rolled up to the middle of my forearm while the ends of the blazer reached halfway down my thigh.

Shimada-senpai chuckled to himself as his eyes grazed over me. His stare sent an odd shiver went down my spine as my stomach fluttered nervously. I wasn't sure if he was laughing because of how awkwardly big it was on my tinier form or something else entirely.

"You two go on ahead. We'll catch up," he waved the other two off who were watching our exchange. Kirisaki-senpai stole a worrying glance towards me before turning to Kizami-senpai to walk away from us. They were quickly swallowed in the darkness of the school, leaving me behind with the model.

Shimada-senpai stood silently, watching me carefully. His blue eyes scanned my figure as he brought a finger to his chin, tutting his tongue, "No... This won't do..."

Reaching out, he straightened the blazer onto my shoulders properly. Shimada-senpai then proceeded with his deft fingers to button up the first button of the blazer to stop it from falling, although it wasn't very effective. His fingertips left goosebumps on my arms as he unrolled the sleeves so they would cover my hands entirely.

I suddenly felt self-conscious as he stood back. He mumbled something I couldn't quite catch as he spoke in English once again. From the subtitles of English shows I watched sometimes, I could recognize he said something like " _kyute_ ", but I couldn't place my word on the translation.

Shimada-senpai brushed a stray strand of hair away from my face, cupping my cheek in an oddly gentle way. He stared deeply into my eyes with his icy blue ones… they looked as if he was having a war on the inside and he was torn into two.

I couldn't help but freeze. This was almost too much human interactions than I can handle. I've never been this _intimate,_ for lack of better words, so such interactions from Byakudan's resident flirt made me want to die and become one of the ghosts that haunted this school.

His thumb started to slowly inch its way down my cheekbone, gliding over my skin whilst leaving goosebumps in its wake. It slowly curved at my cheek, moving towards my lips. His thumb brushed against them so gently it tickled, more English words spilling from under his breath. Shimada-senpai's eyes narrowed as his eyebrows furrowed as if he was confused over something. His eyes flashed briefly with something I could not quite catch, a devilish smirk spreading across his handsome face.

Suddenly, a scream rippled through the air like a shock wave. It made Shimada-senpai and I jolt, his warm touch ripping away from me. He spat out a swear word before he realized who the scream was from, " _Fuck_..." cursing in English, "That sounded like Hell Girl-san..."

Without wasting another second, Shimada-senpai reached for one of my arms to roll up the sleeve just enough so I could use my hand. He did this with my other hand before he grabbed onto it.

"C'mon, let's go see what's going on…" he ordered as he started to drag me through the halls.

He led me through the dark hallways that Kizami-senpai and Kirisaki-senpai disappeared into. He avoided the many holes that took up most of the floor, dragging me behind him. He passed through a ghost without a second glance while I tried my best to not walk through them, not enjoying the fact I didn't have much of a choice.

"Stop trying to break free…" he finally growled as we started to slow down.

"S-Sorry, Shimada-senpai… I just…"

"Just what?"

"I don't like passing through ghost…" I murmured with a whisper. I looked away from his icy gaze, almost as if I were ashamed of myself.

There was a pregnant silence as the only sounds were our empty footsteps echoing off the walls.

"You could've said something…" he grumbled, letting go of my hand. "Not like I want to pass through these invisible ghosts either."

 _Did he just…? He didn't make fun of me?_

"C'mon… We're almost there… I think."

"We aren't lost… Are we, Senpai?" I was getting tired calling him by his entire name.

"No, _Kouhai_ _…_ Just I think we're almost there. There should be a set of stairs somewhere…"

Just as he said that, a stairwell appeared on my right while the rest of the school drifted into obscurity. Shimada-senpai made a grab for my hand as he started to lead me up them. We wasted no time traversing further into the darkness, passing by doors I never had the chance to identify what they were. The walls passed by like a blur before I suddenly found myself being lead up another set of stairs. Amidst the climb, voices could be heard from the top of the landing. I breathed a sigh of relief, glad that we weren't truly lost in this haunted school.

"Told you we weren't lost," Shimada-senpai smirked smugly after being silent for so long.

At the top of the landing, we were met with four figures. One was obviously Kizami-senpai who nodded his head as a greeting although his eyes weren't as kind. There was a female who wore the same uniform as me, much like Kirisaki-senpai had. Her green eyes peered curiously from under pink glasses as her medium-length brownish-green hair draped behind her back. Leaning against the wall looking ghostly pale was a boy with sandy-coloured hair who wore the standard men's uniform, not different than Shimada-senpai's or Kizami-senpai's, only worn properly. His face was twisted in agony as a pool of blood seeped from a wound on his leg. The fourth figure who was crouched next to the injured boy was again wearing the Byakudan boys uniform, his blazer buttoned up, completed with a tie. His brown hair had curls whilst his blue eyes were full of worry.

"What was that screamin' about?" Shimada-senpai questioned, looking between his classmates. I stayed silent by his side.

"We heard Yamamoto-san scream so Kirisaki-san went to find her. Katayama-san has passed out from blood loss," Kizami-senpai filled in briefly.

He nodded as I shyly moved behind him, unconsciously gripping his hand tighter. He said nothing, merely moving his arm to a more comfortable position so I could stand behind him. I suddenly felt very aware of the fact I was wearing Shimada-senpai's blazer, making me feel very uncomfortable, if not embarrassed. Urabe Emi-senpai watched me quizzically, confused about who this girl wearing Shimada-senpai's blazer was and where did she come from. Ohkawa Tomohiro-senpai was too busy doting over Katayama Ryousuke-senpai who let out a pained gasp.

"Shimada-san..." Urabe-senpai began meekly. "Who is that…?" She gestured towards me.

"Huh? Oh, this is Ghost-kouhai."

Kizami-senpai sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "He means Minoto Aika-san. She's from our school, albeit a year younger than us."

"Oh, well I'm Urabe Emi. Nice to meet you," she greeted with a small smile.

I nodded curtly, biting my lip as I looked up at her, "I… Well, you already know my name now, Urabe-senpai, but I'm Minoto Aika…"

Shimada-senpai's breath hitched as I said _Urabe-senpai,_ snorting hotly. "Weren't you already told to quit using _senpai_ with everyone?"

Urabe-senpai narrowed her eyes questionably at him before turning to me with a sheepish smile, "As rude as he is, Shimada-san is right… I'm okay with you not calling me _senpai_. Just _san_ is alright. I'm sure Ohkawa-san and Katayama-san won't mind either…" her voice began to trail off as the latter name left her lips.

I lowered my head in appreciation, a small blush forming on my cheeks as I murmured a quiet "thank you" under my breath.

Urabe-senpai suddenly spoke up timidly after a pregnant silence, "I'm… Going to go see if Kirisaki-san is okay… I… I'll be right back…"

No more words were exchanged as I listened to her fading footsteps disappear down the stairs.

I slowly rose my head, now curious what sort of injury Katayama-senpai sported. I let go of Senpai's hand, slowly walking out from behind him to get a better look. I could feel his icy gaze on my back as I slowly approached the shorter males, unable to tear my eyes away from the crimson liquid dripping from the festering wound.

The black slacks on his right leg were ripped and bloody around the wound. The slacks were just soaking up the essential liquid and whatever excess liquid that wasn't absorb pooled underneath him. There was too much blood to see the actual wound, but I was certain I saw specks of white signifying bone. It made my stomach lurch, but I pushed it to the side.

I crouched next to him, hearing Ohkawa-senpai's gently, comforting whispers, "Katayama-san... Hold on, okay...? We'll get you to a hospital..."

"We… We need to stop the bleeding," I murmured softly to the worried boy, noticing they haven't dressed the wound.

"We… We don't have anything to put on it…" Ohkawa-senpai stammered.

I looked back at the males, but ironically only Shimada-senpai had guilty expression plastered on his face. It was weird; Shimada-senpai only seemed to care about himself but he looked even guiltier than Kizami-senpai who just stared blankly at Katayama-senpai.

I sighed softly, ignoring the taller males as I turned back to Katayama-senpai. His face was twisted in pain despite being unconscious. His normally soft features were ripe with agony. My eyes narrowed as I watched his body began to tense, drawing curiosity from me.

"Katayama-san…? Can you hear me…?"

Without any warning, Katayama-senpai's jade eyes snapped open. A blood-curdling scream ripped from his throat, forever searing itself into my ears. I jumped back, shrieking in shock. My eyes widen as tears came to them; my mind froze with the sound. It was so loud; it pierced my ears like a bullet through skin. No matter how many times I hear screams like this - even if they were from the dead - the sound never got easier.

I heard an annoyed sigh, a dramatic gasp and a fury of curse words spill from my school mates respectively.

"Ka… Katayama-san…" Ohkawa-senpai whimpered hoarsely into deaf ears.

The injured boy abruptly stopped, his eyes suddenly void of any life. He slumped against the wall, his body completely lax and limp. A small breath passed over his parted lips.

I heard Ohkawa-senpai starting to panic, doting over his friend once more. Katayama-senpai was so still, so pale I was afraid that he was actually… gone.

I heard floorboards squeak behind me as Kizami-senpai moved around me, kneeling down next to me. I watched him with wide eyes as he gently placed his fingers against Katayama-senpai's neck. He looked unfazed as he stayed there, ignoring Ohkawa-senpai's incoherent muttering.

"He's dead."

I didn't register the words at first. I somewhat thought I misheard him as Kizami-senpai stood up, his eyes calculating the injured boy. "I can't find a pulse."

My stomach churned at his words as I stared blankly at the wound that still oozed blood. He seemed so still… could it be possible he was actually dead…?

I couldn't comprehend it. This must have been some sort of dream I was having. How could Katayama-senpai be _dead_? This was just some excellent props or something… Who would kidnap a bunch of random teenagers, plop them in a haunted school and just kill them off? This was just some sort of sick dream that I was going to wake up from… I mean, I should have known this was a dream to begin with – I was getting along with my schoolmates with very little prejudice, with the minor exception of Shimada-senpai. If this isn't a dream, maybe they're all in on it or something, trying to trick me… If that's the case, then I'm impressed that they managed to get real ghosts to play along too…

I heard footsteps climb the stairs, only for Urabe-senpai and Kirisaki-senpai to return. They looked crestfallen but Urabe-san offered a small smile as a greeting.

"We couldn't find Yamamoto-san…" the girl without glasses admitted in a hushed tone.

"… How's Katayama-san holding up…?" the second girl asked gently, squeezing Kirisaki-senpai's hand that she was holding.

There was a long pause as they waited for the verdict. The only one moving was Ohkawa-senpai who seemed to ignore Kizami-senpai's claim that he was dead, instead busying himself with putting pressure on his fallen friend's wound.

"He's dead," the dark-haired male said eventually.

I watched the news fall over the girls as they paled, their eyes widening. Urabe-senpai had tears in her eyes before she let go of Kirisaki-senpai to drop in front of Katayama-senpai, checking desperately for his pulse. Kirisaki-senpai seemed more shocked to do anything as her lips parted slightly as if trying to comprehend something to say.

The girl next to Ohkawa-senpai leaned back onto her heels, unable to verbally confirm that he was in fact dead. She stood back up on shaky legs, her glasses nearly falling off the bridge of her nose as she looked towards the ground, eyes unfocused. Without warning, Kirisaki-senpai murmured something before bolting back down the stairs, a sob echoing back up the stairwell.

No one moved immediately to go after her. We were all stuck in some sort of trance as we took in the grim reality of the school. It was different seeing ghosts of previous victims floating about; seeing someone passing before your eyes was unsettling…

"Someone should go after her," Shimada-senpai spoke, although it was clear that he wasn't volunteering.

I almost offered to follow her myself as I wasn't too keen to stay around Katayama-senpai's body for much longer. I felt it wouldn't do Kirisaki-senpai much good though, even if I meant well. She needed someone she trusted to confide her grief, and I wasn't close enough to offer her that kind of support.

"I… I'll go…" Urabe-senpai murmured as she stiffly walked towards the stairs herself, seemingly in shock of the news that fell over her.

Aside from Ohkawa-senpai's shuffling, no one moved or made a sound. Shimada-senpai stood with his hands in his pockets, unable to bring his eyes up to his fallen classmate as he looked everywhere else but. I couldn't see Kizami-senpai's face from the darkness that fell directly in front of his eyes, but he remained motionless as one arm lazily gripped his blazer from falling off his shoulder.

I was still on my knees, a foot or so away from the body. I tried to keep my eyes off him, but I couldn't tear them away from Katayama-senpai's paling corpse. I half expected him to open his eyes and with a laugh claim that it was all just a ruse. A part of me didn't believe any of this was real anymore and that it was just all a dream.

Still though, I found myself looking for his ghost to float by. I found it odd that I never saw it yet; his ghost shouldn't be too far away from his corpse. Then again, as I thought about it, every other ghost I encountered didn't seem to accompany a corpse. Initially, I assumed that it was just they were hidden in classrooms or something, but even then, I couldn't exactly recall seeing any locked doors on the bottom floor. My head swirled with possibilities but the most logical one I could think of was that the ghosts were free to haunt anywhere as long as they remained within the school's borders. Even so, it was striking that Katayama-senpai's ghost hasn't come back to wish Ohkawa-senpai a final farewell... They were best friends and clearly, they cared for one another very much. Why Katayama-senpai wasn't around was unsettling, leading to more questions than answers.

Before I could continue my thoughts, frantic footsteps paced up the steps, accompanied by heavy breathing. Shimada-senpai and Kizami-senpai moved over to the landing to see what the commotion was.

"We… We need to get moving… Now…!" someone panted out. It sounded like Urabe-senpai, although she was very winded.

"Why? What's the rush?" the redhead threw back, presumably cocking an eyebrow.

I couldn't see Urabe-senpai, but I assumed that she was doing something in the pause that followed the question. I moved to my feet, curious what was going on. Quietly, I moved behind the older males, peeking between their bodies down at Urabe-senpai who was quaking in her shoes. She looked like she was struggling to get her words out as she looked frantically between us and down the other set of stairs.

"We… Tohko-chan and I… There… There are ghosts… And… and I don't think they're the good kind…"

"Ghosts…?" Kizami-senpai repeated under his breath, bringing a hand to his chin.

I heard the model snort, turning to me with sort of an annoyed look. "Why don't we just send Ghost-kouhai after them? That _is_ what she does anyway… dealing with batshit crazy ghosts and making them go to rest or some shit."

I would've been offended by his words if they weren't so true. That _was_ sort of what I did on a very blunt scale, and a part of me wonder if that's why I was brought here – to somehow appease all the ghosts that made this building their home. I wouldn't mind doing so… perhaps I could even find Katayama-senpai's spirit and bring him to rest in order to offer some sort of closure to his distraught friend.

"N-No… I don't think she should…" the girl at the foot of the stairs looked hesitant, fear still etched on her face. "J-Just come on… We really should get moving…"

Shimada-senpai shrugged his shoulders, moving away from the stairs and closer to Ohkawa-senpai who seemed to have registered Urabe-senpai's words. He was trying to straighten out the corpse so it would be easier to maneuver without jostling the mangled leg too much.

The raven-haired male spoke up, "Come on, Ohkawa-san. We have to get moving."

"Y-Yeah, in just a minute… I need help getting him on my back…" The brunette boy was adamant about taking the body with him despite the fact he was growing colder by the second. He was denying the fact that Katayama-senpai would ever dare to leave his side in a place like this.

A stiff sigh fell from Kizami-senpai's nose as he glared at Ohkawa-senpai. "Ohkawa-san. He's dead. We have to get going as Urabe-san said. Stop wasting time."

"N-No. He's not dead. You're lying. He… Ryosuke-san _can't_ be dead. We've got to get him ready to go… Just help him onto my back. I'll carry him myself."

My heart constricted painfully as I bit my lip in prevention of speaking out. I commended Ohkawa-senpai for his naïve selflessness, willing to carry the boy on his back himself if it meant taking him with us, but then he'd be carrying around dead weight… literally.

"Ohkawa-san. I'm sorry but he's gone. There's nothing we can do for him now. There's no point in carrying a corpse with us," Kizami-senpai reasoned, though his voice sounded strained.

"Stop it! Don't say that!" the distraught boy cried out, tears forming in his blue eyes. "You're lying! Ryosuke-san would never leave me alone like this… He wouldn't."

"Look, Ohkawa-san…" Shimada-senpai's voice rippled through the thick air. He seemed unsure what to say as he licked his lips with uncertainty, "He's dead. We… can't help him. You need to snap out of it already."

My eyes drifted to the small hall around us, trying to break myself away from the tension that was beginning to build. I could pick out two doors along the same wall Katayama-san was propped against, but I couldn't tell where they lead to. I was looking for any sign of the blue spirit that should be floating around nearby… but I still couldn't find him.

"For the love of God…" Kizami-senpai growled darkly. "Get a grip, Ohkawa. He is dead. Now get up and let's get a move on."

The smaller male stood up defiantly, his body trembling violently. "He's not dead, Kizami!"

Without warning, Urabe-senpai's head appeared as she climbed up to the landing. She looked more visibly shaken than she was before as her eyes widened farther than I've seen, her body trembling in fear.

"P-Please Ohkawa-san… Just let him go. It's senseless to carry a corpse around with us; you'll just be lagged down."

"I'm not leaving him!"

I was more focused on the darkness that seemed to accumulate around Kizami-senpai as he coolly spoke up, "He's just a corpse."

Kizami-senpai closed the gap between himself and the body quickly, heaving Katayama-senpai's limp body into his arms without a care if he left any bruises or jostled his injury.

"Be careful!" Ohkawa-senpai shrieked, fear flooding his face as the dark-haired male manhandled his friend without any restraint.

Kizami-senpai paid no mind to him as he walked up to the staircase. With a twist of his body, Katayama-senpai's body was sent flying through the air as Kizami-senpai let go. I felt my blood freeze, unable to move. I _knew_ he was dead, but I couldn't shake the idea that a living person was sent spiralling down the stairs. I _knew_ he was only a corpse, but Katayama-senpai deserved better, especially after the pain and suffering he just went through.

I _knew_ Katayama-senpai wouldn't return to us, but Ohkawa-senpai full-heartily disagreed.

His ear-piercing scream met my ears as the sounds of the body tumbling down the stairs accompanied it. I felt my knees grow weak and suddenly collapse beneath me, the soft thudding sound it created merely drowned out by the large crash caused by the body tumbling down.

For a brief moment, no one moved nor made a sound. It was almost like time stood still as Kizami-senpai stood over the ledge, peering down at the body of someone that used to be his living classmate. Ohkawa-senpai was stuck in place as he gaped at the teen in absolute horror, Urabe-senpai sharing a similar expression. Shimada-senpai didn't seem to know how to react; he was crossed between horror, disgust, and overall anger.

I felt sick. I could still hear Katayama-senpai's body fall even though it was now eerily quiet. I could feel bile in the back of my throat as I gagged, trying to force it down as I held my hands to my lips. Tears sprung in my eyes, either from the gagging, the event that just occurred, or both.

Ohkawa-senpai let out another scream that ripped through the thick air that was accumulating. Tears freely fell from his unfocused eyes. His hands were brought to his face to cup his cheeks as his legs threatened to give out beneath him.

"N-No… Ryosuke… W-wha…"

The boy stumbled forward, trembling wildly. He looked blankly over the top of the stairs to his friend that I assumed was lying still. He seemed to shake even more if that was possible, another pained whimper passing through his lips.

I… I don't know exactly what happened next. I _thought_ I saw Kizami-senpai reach his arm out as Ohkawa-senpai went to pass him. I didn't know what the taller male was doing – stopping the short boy from going after his deceased friend? I… I swore I saw his arm lash out to _push_ Ohkawa-senpai down the stairs. Instead of grabbing onto his jacket, my eyes saw Kizami-senpai merely push him forward so Ohkawa-senpai would lose his footing and tumble down the wooden stairwell.

He didn't scream. I heard him grunt in pain, but I think it was worse than screaming. I could hear him rapidly descend the stairs like a winter sled on an icy hill. The thumping and thuds went straight to my brain, ceasing any thoughts to do anything as it froze me in place. Knowing that Ohkawa-senpai was still _alive_ when he was seemingly pushed down the stairs turned my stomach far worse than the first time, causing the bile I felt before to arise, this time with more vigor.

Without much of a choice, I doubled over as the bile passed through my lips without consent. The putrid acid burned my mouth as I gagged on it, trying to avoid getting it all over myself as much as possible. The acid burned as much as my shame did. It was funny, really. No matter how gory a ghost appeared, no matter how gruesome their death was, I still managed to get sick over hearing school mates tumbling down the stairs. My body convulsed sporadically as tears pricked my eyes, adding to my overall discomfort.

A soothing hand appeared on my back as another hand gently lifted my hair away from my face. I didn't know who it was at first, nor did I care. I allowed them to take care of me until I spit out everything my stomach at to offer. The caring hands moved around to my torso so they would prevent me from falling into the pool of acid that was seeping into the wood. They propped me against the wall, gently moving my hair away from my face as their light blue eyes gazed at me with concern.

I caught Shimada-senpai's expression before he moved away. He was clearly upset, although his previous interactions would raise some questions about why he was. He was pale, looking a little sick himself as he licked his lips before the grief in his eyes turned to anger, a sour expression replacing his horrified one.

I tried to grab the hand that briefly caressed my cheek but I was too slow as he got up, stalking towards Kizami-senpai with a purpose. My throat burned too bad to call out to him as I swallowed, trying to rid myself of the sensation and the bitter taste.

I found myself dazed for a moment. I stared blankly at the spot where Katayama-senpai was originally propped against. Even in the darkness, I could see the pool of crimson red that had leaked from his grievous leg wound…

"You… Y-You _murderer_!" Ohkawa-senpai screeched from the bottom of the stairs. I could hear the pain in his voice as he garbled out other things directed towards Kizami-senpai who didn't seem to take notice.

Urabe-senpai didn't move from her spot, unable to tear her eyes away from the tall and short males. Her head frantically switched between them as she tried to comprehend what she just saw. My eyes followed Shimada-senpai as he approached Kizami-senpai, putting a large hand on his shoulder to turn him around roughly.

"What the _fuck_ is wrong with you?!"

The dark-haired male's eyes were unfocused as he stared blankly towards Shimada-senpai who was seething. He suddenly looked up with a wry grin, an odd sparkle twinkling in his eyes.

Without warning, he threw a punch at Shimada-senpai's head, knocking him over to the side in surprise. The redhead stumbled, falling to his left as he used his hand to catch himself. He gasped loudly as Urabe-senpai shrieked, the sounds of her bolting down the stairs filling the corridor as the redhead spat out blood.

I heard a growl, assumingly from Shimada-senpai who stood up again. He grabbed the knife he had sheathed and waved it in front of him as he roared at Kizami-senpai, " _What the actual fuck?!_ Yuuya?!"

But Kizami-senpai only smiled, a dark chuckle emanating from his chest. "I… I think I figured out this school."

Shimada-senpai faltered but he remained poised to attack. I wish I could see his face so I had an idea what he was thinking but he had his back to me. Fortunately, or unfortunately, I had a perfect view of Kizami-senpai who had a serene expression on his face, but the curl of his lips and darkness in his eyes told otherwise.

"You see, _Kai_ , there _is_ no way out. We're all going to die. This school is aimed to kill us all and no one survives," he explained delicately, carefully stringing his words together. He used his impressive height to tower over the model, trying to intimidate him further. "So, in the end…? It doesn't matter _how_ we die… just that we die."

With that, Kizami-senpai stepped forward to let lose another punch towards Shimada-senpai. The redhead avoided the attack with ease, lunging to the side to avoid it.

The raven-haired male erupted in laughter as he lunged after Shimada-senpai, "It doesn't matter if I were to kill anyone or if it's this damned school! Accept your fate, Shimada… and let me enjoy beating your pretty face in…!"

I couldn't do anything to stop them if I tried. Fear had me frozen in place as I watched from the wall as Shimada-senpai attempted to feint to the left but Kizami-senpai saw through it. The raven-haired male used his height to advantage as he grabbed onto the redhead by the shoulders, effectively stopping him in place. He then headbutted Shimada-senpai, stunning him as he stumbled back, the knife falling from his grip. Kizami-senpai picked it up with a wicked grin stretching across his face. He thumbed the blade, slicing his forefinger and drawing crimson blood with glee.

Shimada-senpai staggered back, hesitant about charging Kizami-senpai once he realized he held his discarded knife. He was panting heavily but he didn't run off to save himself. Instead, the model launched a punch towards Kizami-senpai's gut – which he blocked easily with both arms – then threw a punch to his face. The taller male stumbled back, gritting as he spat some saliva to the ground as he wiped his mouth.

"Just accept your fucking fate, Shimada."

"What? You getting tired or something?" Shimada-senpai huffed out, trying to remain cocky. "I can keep this up all day…"

That seemed to spur Kizami-senpai even more; he scowled at his competition as he charged Shimada-senpai. The redhead got quickly overwhelmed as he took several steps back towards the wall opposite of me. Kizami-senpai delivered a hard punch to the gut that Shimada-senpai never had a chance to block. With the wind knocked out of him, Kizami-senpai used the opportunity to pin the model against the wall. The redhead struggled against him but Kizami-senpai was stronger.

"I'm going to have fun beating the shit out of you. You always were a pain in the ass."

Shimada-senpai sneered, spitting in his face in retaliation. "Go fuck yourself, Yuuya."

"Ryosuke! Get up… Please…!"

Kizami-senpai tensed up upon hearing Ohkawa-senpai's voice. I shrank against the wall, unable to find the will to stand up myself. It seemed to distract the taller male for a moment, Shimada-senpai using it to struggle against his captor. It didn't work as Kizami-senpai quickly snapped out of his daze, slamming the redhead back into the wall roughly. He banged his head, stunning himself for a moment.

Kizami-senpai used his free hand to grab one of Shimada-senpai's hand, pinning it to the wall. "Just so you don't get any ideas of running away before I have my fun…"

Blood spurted out of Shimada-senpai's palm as Kizami-senpai drove the knife into it. The roar that ripped from the model's vocal cords was inhumane as he curled against Kizami-senpai who stepped back, laughing wickedly. He panted heavily as he tried to muffle his voice, blood oozing from the knife wound as it stuck steadfastly against the wall.

The raven-haired male stood in front of the writhing redhead, admiring his work. He seemed to rejoice in the pained moans and whimpered that fumbled out of his lips.

"I must say, they should take a picture of your face now and put it on magazine covers… It's much better than your normal face."

Shimada-senpai weakly spat another wad of blood towards Kizami-senpai, catching his shoes, "… Fuck you, Yuuya…"

He said nothing more, leaving the model pinned against the wall as he struggled against the pain. Fear panicked my heart as Kizami-senpai turned. I put a hand over my mouth to prevent myself from breathing too loudly as I shrunk down in my spot, feeling Shimada-senpai's blazer dwarf my tiny frame.

For once in my life, I was thankful that I was easily forgotten as Kizami-senpai turned his back to confront the people at the bottom of the stairs.

Ignoring my queasy stomach, I shakily rose to my feet. My knees threatened to give out from under me as I leaned heavily against the wall for stability. Once able to stand straight, I tip-toed across the open hall to Shimada-senpai who was trying to stop himself from crying out anymore.

His face was red with exertion, glistening with sweat. It was contorted with agony as more blood spurted from his hand, painting the wall a new coat of red. Some of the liquid dribbled down the length of his arm, soaking into his dirty dress shirt, staining it.

He jolted when he noticed me, his eyes widening with fear with the thought I was Kizami-senpai. It was disturbing that fear was so defined in his eyes. I swore they even looked wet with tears from the pain that he was feeling.

I rested my hands on the hilt of the blade that kept him in place. He seemed confused at first but quickly figured out what I was planning to pull the knife out of his hand. He tensed at first, shaking from pain and terror.

"Just…" I struggled to form words as my trembling fingers had a hard time holding the blade's handle. "Just try to stay quiet…"

He mumbled a response before putting his good hand over his mouth in order to prevent from speaking out.

I tried to be gentle as I started to pull, but all it did was cause Shimada-senpai to double over as his fingers twitched in agony. I grimaced, my stomach churning once more as blood started to coat my fingers.

"Just pull it out, Kouhai… Like a bandage…" he muttered before biting into the fleshy part of his thumb.

I nod in response, my breathing uneasy as I struggled to remain calm. It was him pinned to the wall, not me.

I counted to five in my head, giving Shimada-senpai no warning as I hauled the knife from the wood. He screamed into his hand as he doubled over onto the floor, able to fall now that his hand was free. Blood had splattered onto my face much to my horror and disgust as the knife clattered to the ground. Slowly, I reached a sleeve to the sticky substance that coated my cheek, trying to forget the fact that it was Shimada-senpai's blood.

I turned towards the stairs, remembering our bigger problem than just a bit of spilled blood. Kizami-senpai didn't seem to notice us, even as Shimada-senpai breathed heavily into his palm as he stumbled to his feet. I thought I heard Kizami-senpai talking to Ohkawa-senpai, but all I could hear for sure was the thudding of my own heartbeat.

I felt Shimada-senpai's body press against my back as his shaky breath hit my right ear. "We have to get past him… up here is a dead end," he explained in a breathy whisper.

I nod, feeling my head brush against his cheek. I felt him suddenly move behind me to my left side so his good right hand could grab my arm, his other hand hovering above it but doing nothing but dripping blood onto the blazer sleeve.

"Just… stay close to me…" he murmured, moving his hand down my arm so our fingers could lock together.

Despite the situation, I felt my heart flutter slightly.

He lead me up behind Kizami-senpai who didn't seem to notice us. At the bottom of the stairs was Ohkawa-senpai who was cowering next to Katayama-senpai. Ohkawa-senpai was holding his arm in pain as he yelled out to Kizami-senpai again, still calling him a murderer and that he killed Katayama-senpai. The supposedly dead body was bleeding from every orifice now, coming from his mouth and ears instead of just his leg wound.

My eyes widened as I watched something very blue and very pale float from the body that laid limply on the floor. The figure resembled the limp boy, from his hair to his shoes. There was a wound on the ghostly figure as well, in the same spot as Katayama-senpai's. His face was contorted into eternal pain as he slowly started to float away. He didn't seem to notice anything; his ghastly wails reached my ears, causing me to shiver as the supernatural moans continued to rattle my hearing.

I never had time to comprehend the fact that his ghost only _now_ appeared as Shimada-senpai took off in a mad dash down the stairs. We took Kizami-senpai by surprise as he cursed when we brushed passed him.

"Fuck. I forgot about the tag-along…" he cursed, seemingly about me.

I stumbled after Shimada-senpai as we passed Ohkawa-senpai who looked at us with tears in his eyes. His gaze followed us as he closed his open mouth before he went out of the corner of my eye.

"S-Senpai! What about Ohkawa-san?!"

He ignored me as he dragged me farther and farther into the abyss of a school away from Kizami-senpai, although I was certain I heard footsteps thunder after us – whether it was Ohkawa-senpai or Kizami-senpai, I wasn't sure. He didn't seem to really care about the fact he left his classmate to die at the hands of an insane boy.

I'm not sure how long we ran. I just followed Shimada-senpai even after he let go of my hand, taking random turns, and going down more stairs. We travelled for what seemed was forever, avoiding the holes in the floor as we did. I started to lag back a lot as I stumbled across ghosts wailing their ghostly tune, trying to avoid from running into them as I tried to keep pace.

A ghost decided to stop right in front of me, effectively cutting me off away from Shimada-senpai. I avoided the girl, who's yellow fuku and light blue skirt seemed ripped to shreds, as I tried to shimmy behind her as there were holes on either side of the hall. To make up for the lost time, I darted after the receding figure, attempted to not lose him. Because of my mad dash, I never paid attention to the floor as my foot found a particularly weak board, my lag falling straight through it.

I let out a scream as my ankle sent throes of pain up it. I struggled desperately to get my foot out as the sharp edges of the rotting wood cut into my skin.

I heard footsteps return to me, and in my disoriented second, I thought it was Kizami-senpai who caught up with me.

" _God dammit,_ Kouhai…" the figure said as they lifted me out of the hole that I created, grunting in pain with the action.

My eyes widened when I realized it was Shimada-senpai who had just turned back to help me, much to my surprise. His eyebrows were crossed with fury as he ignored my eyes, rather looking over my leg for the damage I did.

I flinched when he put pressure on my right ankle. It throbbed painfully as it laced up my leg. My sock was dirty with splinters as my shoe constricted my rapidly swelling foot.

"Well. You certainly did a number on it…" the male muttered.

I felt dread wash over me. I figured that Shimada-senpai would just take one look at my ankle and go. He left Ohkawa-senpai with Kizami-senpai without any discussion, why wouldn't he leave me? At least with Ohkawa-senpai, he looked like he was able to run on his own… I don't even know if I can stand. The fear ate at me as words moved from my mouth on their own, "Just… go, Shimada-senpai. I don't think I can stand…" It was easier to dismiss him myself than being left here without my consent.

He merely ignored my pleas, giving me a cold look, " _Bullshit_. I'm going to carry you…" He mumbled something else under his breath but I didn't catch the foreign words.

Without warning, I was hoisted to my feet and prompted to jump onto his back. I wrapped my arms around his neck while he his hands lifted my thighs up around his waist. It was a strange sensation as he started to walk forward; I could feel his every breath as I rest my chin on his shoulder.

A warm, sticky substance dripping down my leg brought me back to a grim reality. It created a very itchy sensation that was beginning to grow uncomfortable but I tried to ignore it as there was nothing we could do about it right now.

"Senpai… your hand…" I began to bring up, feeling his blood curve over my skin and onto the floor. Some even dribbled as far as the crook of my knee, cascading down my calf.

"It's fine," he interrupted sharply.

I bit my lip, burying my face into his shoulder. I was suddenly overcome with grief as a sob escaped me, shaking my body. I tried to stop myself but it only came harder as I choked out, "I'm… sorry…"

"… Why? You have nothing to apologize for."

"B… but…"

I felt him sigh heavily as he slowed his pace. He turned his head so his icy blue eyes could stare directly into my green eyes. "Honestly Kouhai. If I had a problem with you, I would've ditched you by now."

His words were so sweet; they dripped from his mouth laced with warm honey. They were smoother than fine sewed satin silk, causing my heart to palpitate uncontrollably. My cheeks lit up with his delicate words, butterflies dancing in my stomach. My eyes caught his again, and suddenly all warmth I felt was gone.

I figured his eyes would be warmer than they were, after saying such kind words to me, but I felt like I was staring into a frozen storage. His eyes made it seem like his words were just a practiced mantra, laced with heroin rather than honey.

I kept it to myself, unsure if it was just my eyes playing tricks on me or if I was just overthinking it.

"Th-Thank you…" I mumbled into his ear, unsure what else to say in response.

I felt his shoulders shrug underneath me, earning no further conversation from him.

I wanted to ask Shimada-senpai why he didn't want to ditch me... He seemed readily to sentence Ohkawa-senpai to death with the wrath of Kizami-senpai, and he was supposed to be his friend. I couldn't piece it together in my hurting head. I was nothing but a liability for him, considering he had no other choice but to carry me if he didn't want to leave me. Why would someone who seemed to hate me not just leave me to die? Was he keeping me for another altercation so I could be his distraction so he could escape?

The trickling of blood sliding down my leg reminded me that we needed to tend to our wounds.

"Is... there an infirmary in this school?" I murmured timidly into his ear.

He used his favourite English curse words as he spoke under his breath. "Yes... but it's locked."

The ground beneath us started to rumble the second the words fell from his mouth. I inadvertently cried out, Shimada-senpai swearing once more. He quickly got me off his back and pinned me to the wall, shielding me with his body. His arms were protecting my head as he forehead pressed against mine. His eyes were trained on me as the ground shook beneath our feet, debris falling all around us. I clutched on to Shimada-senpai for dear life, bringing his shirt close to my chest.

It stopped as quickly as it started, leaving us in an eerie silence that accompanied our heavy breathing.

"You okay...?" he whispered softly. His blue eyes scanned my face, looking for any signs of discomfort. His forehead was still pressed against mine as I felt his warm breath brush across my face.

I nodded my head jerkily, staring back with the same intensity as him, "You?"

He backed away, breathing deeply as he looked around, "Yeah."

I joined him in looking around, astonished by our surroundings. We haven't left the school, much to my dismay, but the hallway we were in was different. The floorboards, which we previously a dusty brown colour was now a lighter tan colour. An open door had appeared on the other side of the hall, which was not there before. Even the atmosphere felt different; before it was dark and heavy – it was almost hard to breathe. Now, it felt lighter. I was actually beginning to feel safe for the first time during my imprisonment at this school.

"This is not the same hall we were just in..." I murmured as if it weren't obvious.

Shimada-senpai narrowed his eyes suspiciously as he noticed the door. He took a few steps towards it before he gasped loudly, gawking at the room, "Infirmary? But that's impossible... It was locked earlier... not to mention somewhere else entirely! What the fuck…?"

I felt my knees grow weak as I leaned heavily against the wall on one foot whilst I applied close to no pressure on my injured foot. "I'd... rather not question it..." I murmured, suddenly overwhelmed with exhausted.

The redhead analyzed me for a passing moment before he nodded. He walked up to me, hoisting me into his arms. The swiftness and fluidness of his actions made me think he's done this before with many girls as he carried me bridal-style into the infirmary.

I had no say in the matter, even if I disliked the action. My only form of retaliation was the heavy blush that was sitting on my cheeks.

The room was rather basic; a few curtains scattered throughout. Two beds were set in one corner of the room with two medicine cabinets next to it. Shimada-senpai set me on the outside bed, leaving me there to look through the supplies while I looked around the rest of the room. A desk was on the other side of the cabinets with another cabinet and a sink on the other side of that. Something that looked like an old space heater of some sort was near the curtains in the center of the room. A beaten chair was in the opposing diagonal corner of me.

Clattering tore me away from the room and back to Shimada-senpai. He held bundled wrappings, dressings, and disinfectants with swabs in his arms, dumping them unceremoniously on the bed next to me.

"We should probably look after my hand first before your ankle," he muttered, plopping down on my other side. His skin looked oddly pale as a thin layer of sweat covered it. His face was flushed as he blinked slowly at me, his blue eyes exhausted.

I took a shaky breath, realizing that he might be beginning to go into shock, especially with all the blood he must have lost. I quickly sifted through the medical supplies, grabbing the disinfectant and swabs. Shimada-senpai held out his bleeding hand; some of the blood had already dried and formed scabs while some still trickled out.

I opened the bottle, pouring some of the liquid onto the puffy balls of cotton. I reached for his hand, deciding to start with the back of his hand first. He visibly winced as the swab touched his open wound, tensing his entire body.

" _Fuck_ ," he huffed, "Be gentler would you…!"

"Sorry…"

I tried to clean it as well as possible, choosing to use a new swab frequently. When I was satisfied with the cleaning, I reached for some dressing. I placed it against the back of his hand, reaching for his other one, "Hold it here while I clean your palm."

He obliged as I turned over his hand to clean his palm. It was slightly messier than the back of his hand where it was pressed against my leg. It had just pooled and covered his skin with the red plasma. A part of me realized that having it pressed against my leg might have slowed the bleeding a bit with the pressure, to which I was thankful for. I cleared away the blood and dirt, showing the gruesome stab wound entry to the world. I swallowed the sick feeling that started to boil in my throat, reaching for another piece of dressing.

I placed the dressing on his palm, grabbing some bandages. I unhooked the two aluminum clips before I unrolled it. I anchored the bandage at this wrist, tightly wrapping it around his hand. I covered the dressings with the bandage, wrapping it up around the base of his thumb to his knuckles. I took the clips and clipped them onto the loose end of the roll, fastening it to the rest of the bandage.

Shimada-senpai took his hand away from mine, bring it close to his face to examine it, "Thanks…"

I nodded meekly, a blush forming on my face.

He sighed before abruptly standing up, grabbing all the bloody swabs I used. He scanned the room, obviously looking for a garbage bin before sighing again, not finding any.

"Where should I dump this?"

I contemplated his question, my eyes drifting to the holes scattered around the room.

"Maybe… the holes…? I don't know where they go though."

He shrugged, obviously not caring what happened to them as he emptied the load into the abyss. He turned back towards me, narrowing his icy eyes, "You twisted your ankle, right?"

I nodded, looking away from him, "Yeah… I should probably wrap it up…"

He nodded, closing the distance between the bed and the spot where he was standing. "Off with the shoe and sock."

I complied with his command, gingerly taking off my shoe. I winced, noticing that it looked more swelled than before. I rolled down my dirty sock before I looked at my foot carefully. My ankle was obviously swollen, clearly larger than my other ankle. A slight discolouration and bruising had already begun to settle in.

I felt the bed next to me sink as Shimada-senpai leaned behind me to reach something from the medical pile.

"Put your foot in my lap… I'll wrap it up for you."

I nodded, my cheeks dusting pink as I scooted back so I place my swollen foot in his lap. He took the clips off the roll before he started to wrap my foot. He began above my ankle as an anchor, slowly wrapping it tightly down my foot. I whimpered as his fingers worked around it, feeling the uncomfortable pain radiating from it as he brushed the skin or pulled too tightly.

"I think you might've sprained it…" he muttered, finishing the job. He clipped on the clips, gently placing his large hand over my ankle.

"I think so… I don't know much about injuries though…"

"Can't say I'm a doctor either," he agreed, slowly running his fingers along the bandages.

I chose not to question his tender actions. Instead, a yawn passed through my lips, earning me a chuckle from Shimada-senpai.

"Tired, are we, little Kouhai?"

I blushed, looking away from his playful stare, "I'm sorry… It's just been a long day…"

He sighed softly, running his good hand through his scarlet locks. "I'll agree with you there… I'm a bit light-headed myself if I'm being honest."

"I think you were going into shock…"

"Probably…"

He got up, clearing the bed of the excess medical supplies before putting them back in the cabinets – I already began to miss his comfortable touch that weighed on my injured foot. Shimada-senpai then pushed the outside bed – with me on it – closer to the one of the inside to create a makeshift double bed.

"Shi… Shimada-senpai!"

He ignored me, picking me up and dumping me on the inner bed rather roughly, though he was careful enough not to jostle my ankle too badly. He all but collapsed into the bed next to me, suddenly looking much more tired than before.

"Let's just sleep here for a while… I'm too tired to look for a way out at the moment…" he mumbled, almost looking at me pleadingly.

I blinked, nodding uncertainly, "Of course…"

He smiled gently, which shocked me. His arms suddenly snaked their way around my figure, pulling me into his chest.

I froze against him, blushing harder than I have all day, "Senpai!" I squeaked.

I heard him chuckle. It was a deep rumbling that erupted from deep inside his chest, vibrating into me. It sent warm shivers throughout my body, the butterflies in my stomach attacking me once more.

"See? I'm doing this to keep us warm," he smirked, mistaking my trembling for shivers of being cold.

There's… no way that this is Shimada-senpai teasing me… right? In such a flirtatious manner? No… I… I must be thinking too much into it…

Shimada-senpai must have noticed my distraught expression as he blew air into my face. "Just sleep, Kouhai," he grumbled hoarsely, sleep already heavy in his voice.

I nodded shakily, "Yes, Senpai…"

I forced myself to relax in his warm embrace. I inhaled deeply, breathing in the scent of his expensive cologne. It wasn't long before I managed to drift off, content in cuddling into the warm body for comfort, all the while trying to rid myself of the images of the things that had transpired earlier.

* * *

 **If you have any questions about the character of Aika, feel free to shoot me a message and I'll happily oblige. I'm pretty good for responding right away to PM or even reviews (as I like responding to people's reviews)**

 _ **Edit: August 8th 2017**_

 **I completely rewrote an entire scene in this chapter to better parallel with BoS better, as well as developed Kizami's character much better. There's better foreshadowing for later in the story as well.**


	3. Chapter 3

**It took me a while to finally edit this... It was sitting on my computer just forgotten. Oh well.**

 **Warning: This fic is rated M for a reason. Expect disturbing themes such as: blood, violence, death, corpses, etc.**

 **Unbeta'd. All mistakes are my own.**

* * *

I... I honestly don't know what to think anymore... My mind was like a whirlpool of emotions.

 _Ba-bump. Ba-bump_

What is he thinking? Why is he doing this? Him off all people… It made no sense…

 _Ba-bump. Ba-bump._

Perhaps he's just trying to lead me on… That would make sense; of course the playboy would lead the outcast girl on. He didn't care for me.

"Hrm..." _Ba-bump. Ba-bump._

I stiffened in Shimada-senpai's arms as he groaned. His heartbeat was so loud in my ear. It was rather comforting; I've never slept next to a living body before. I didn't want him to wake up and get mad when he realised who he's cuddling with.

I let my breath go when I realised I was holding it when he stopped moving. I didn't have to worry about him waking up anytime soon; hopefully.

I had awoken before him, almost panicking when I realised this whole ordeal wasn't a dream. A few tears had leaked from my eyes; I didn't want to be here. I didn't want to be cuddling with Shimada-senpai. I wanted to be home by myself, coping with being alone with no one but ghosts to keep me company.

I relaxed again, cuddling into his warmth more. He responded by holding me tighter, nearly suffocating me. My face heated with embarrassment, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it. It wasn't just the fact I was lying next to a rather handsome male, it was more the fact that it was a human.

I took a deep breath in, his scent filling my nose. It was interesting; expensive cologne with a dash of vanilla. His breath, which constantly blew in my face, smelled like wintergreen. It smelled medicinal; an oddly enjoyable smell.

I bit my lip, trying to banish any thoughts of him from my mind. I couldn't allow myself to be attracted to him; Shimada-senpai would never date me. Any fantasy I had in my head would just lead me into more hurt.

He sighed contently in my face, nuzzling his head into my hair, causing me to have a mini heart attack. Suddenly his leg found its way on top of mine as his right arm snaked under my neck. His body started to lean on me heavily – but not uncomfortably – as his left arm draped around my waist, pulling me closer to him. He mumbled incoherently, settling down as he breathed into my hair again.

I allowed myself to exhale loudly, sinking down under his body weight. I tried to ignore the growing feeling in my chest, instead asking myself a question that has been eating me from the back of my mind: how did I get here?

The thought danced around in my head, knocking up against the walls that enclosed my mind from the world. I wracked my brain for any memory of how I did end up at the cursed school.

I thought back to today's day at school. Nothing interesting happened; quietly sitting in class, ignoring the snide remarks made towards me, shrugging off the stares everyone gave me. Someone did end up knocking my books of my desk whilst blaming a ghost as school got out, but that was the biggest event… Wait a minute… What happened when I got home? Well, I remember greeting Okaasan…

" _Okaasan! I'm home!" I shouted out through the empty house. Usually it was just me, but my mother did like showing up every now and then. She was usually busy elsewhere – she never told me where she always had to go._

" _Ah, Aika-chan. How was your day?"_

 _The room chilled as her voice resonated throughout. I turned to see her; pale and transparent. Her brown hair was braided, the braid coming over her left shoulder. She had a yellow t-shit on that had a tiny flower in the bottom left corner. She wore orange capris with tan sandals. The way her bangs were situated, one eye was covered while the other brown one was not. I never did see both eyes, her left eye always hidden._

" _Same ole, same ole," I answered nonchalantly._

 _She merely nodded at my response, pursing her lips while placing her hands on her hips. "Sweetie?"_

 _I jerked my head her way as I sat at the kitchen table, digging out my math homework. I was still in my Byukaden School uniform, deciding to undress into casual clothing after I finished my homework. "Yes, Okaasan?"_

" _Have I ever told you what my maiden name was?"_

 _I paused; I knew my mother's name was Minoto Yuki. She married when she was young and ended up pregnant with me. My father disappeared after she died at giving birth so I never met him. Oksaasan didn't even keep a picture of him around the house, not wanting me to ever meet the man how basically left me to die._

" _No. I don't believe that has ever come up in conversation. May I ask why you're asking?"_

 _She nodded, seeming to ignore my own question. "I see... Have you ever heard of Heavenly Host Elementary?" she asked again._

 _Again, I paused. The sudden questions that seemed to have no real purpose confused me; why is Okasaan asking? "Can't say I have... Why do you ask?" I replied slowly, asking her the question again._

 _I've been with my mother as long as I could remember. She refused to leave my side and to leave me alone when I was born. I'm not sure how she managed to keep me away from orphanages, but she always managed to keep me in our home. She taught me the basic essentials when I was younger, always managed to have money for me up until I was old enough to work. Even though most of the time she wasn't there, she was around long enough for me to know her facial expressions._

 _Remorse was written all over her face. Her single chocolate orb avoided eye contact with mine. She bit her lip, staring at me with such remorse, such guilt it was starting to overwhelm me. The room started to just swim in her regret; it made me tingle with the feeling._

" _Aika-chan... Please know that I love you, no matter what..." she almost pleaded softly._

" _And I love you Okaasan... What's going on?" I nearly demanded. The feeling started to overwhelm me._

" _I'm sorry sweetie..." she repeated as darkness surrounded her._

 _I gasped, jumping out of my chair and knocking it over. I couldn't help but stare in absolute horror at the growing evil; eyes and silhouettes of bodies started to form inside of it. The darkness reached out to her; ebony arms reaching out with its twitching fingers. Two more figures, smaller than her shrinking size, appeared on either side. One looked like it didn't have a head._

" _I'm sor-wy..." she repeated, her voice getting higher of that of a child's._

 _The darkness touched her, creating a flash of black light that filled the room._

 _The black mass evaporated, revealing what used to be my mother but now an elementary child. Her braid was replaced with two pigtails that draped behind her back. Her outfit was replaced with a ragged and bloody yellow sweater, a flower in sewn into the corner. She wore an orange skirt as well. "I'm sowwy... Swee-ie..." the little girl ghost murmured guilty before she and the other two ghosts bounded for me._

 _Just as everything went black, a pale, sinister-looking girl flashed in my vision. Her scarlet dress billowed around her as the infuriatingly dark smile crossed her lips._

Anything after that drew a blank. I had no memory on what happened after my so-called "mother" attacked me. I didn't even have any idea who those other two ghosts were.

My heart stopped. It couldn't be possible. "Okaasan..." My voice was a solemn whisper. I felt so broken, so betrayed that someone who was supposed to protect me essentially sent me here.

A small groan came from Senpai. He moved slightly, shifting his position. "Kohai...?"

I let out a gasp when he got up on one arm, leaning over my body with his own. "How did you sleep?" he asked with a small smile. His voice was soft, deep with grogginess and sleep.

I could only blush, gawking at him like a fish out water. "I-I... Uh..."

He smirked tiredly, lying back down. He cuddled into my hair like before, breathing in deeply. "Your hair smells good... Coconut?" he murmured absent-minded.

"Y-Yeah... It's shampoo..."

I was frozen, worse than earlier. He was aware on who he was cuddling with. I was seriously going to die of a nosebleed…

"I'm sorry but... I think I'm falling back to sleep..." His voice was muffled, but he emphasised by holding me tight, breathing harshly like a sigh into my hair.

"Th-That's fine..."

I felt him smile, breathing deeply again. His muscles relaxed against me as his ever present heartbeat slowed down.

I stayed stiff for a while after that. I was worried I would wake him up. My heart jolted when he groaned again.

"My hand is killing me right now..." he moaned softly into my ear. "How's your ankle...?"

There was a pregnant pause. "It's... Bothering me a tiny bit..." I finally answered truthfully.

The redhead only sighed. "I'm sorry... I don't have any pain killers or ice... And I didn't see anything that could help in the medicine cabinet. I could –" he paused to let out a large yawn. "I could check again if you want..."

I shook my head no, inadvertently nuzzling my head and hair into his face. "It's fine... You should go back to sleep. You sound pretty tired."

I felt him smile. "Alright, Minoto-san... If you say so... And I am pretty tired to be honest... Had a rough day."

I nod gently, noting that he actually called me Minoto-san, and not kohai. I gulped softly when, for the millionth time that night, Shimada-senpai snuggled into me, falling asleep.

I couldn't help but sigh in content. I was… happy. I felt safe in his arms, despite the conditions we were in.

With Shimada-senpai already asleep again, my thoughts began to wander. I first thought about my mother; why would she do this to me? Why did she turn into a child?

I tried to piece the puzzle together in my head. My mind played with a few ideas in my head; I haven't come across this before. I tried to remember of any instances I read on the internet, but nothing came up. I could only think of instances where children turned into adults, not vice versa.

I could still see the haunted look in the ghost's one eye. Her childish features twisted into remorse a child should never have to endure. The black void of where an eye should be; black, thick blood oozing from the wound.

Tears began to prick my eyes as I fought back a sob.

What of the two smaller children with her? Why were they ghosts? Why was one missing her head while the other had entrails hanging out of him? Who could torture such small children like that? Never so badly did I want to sit down with them; to tell them everything was okay and nobody could hurt them anymore.

Grief washed over me like a tidal wave. Nothing made sense anymore; I couldn't understand why Oksaasan would send me here; I couldn't comprehend why someone would inflict such horrendous wounds on such small children.

My body shook as I let the feeling overcome me. I tried to come up with a solution; to piece together why all of this has – is – happening.

"Ne…? Kohai, why are you crying…?"

My breath hitched violently; tears still trailing down my cheeks. Shimada-san shifted in his spot, propping himself up onto his right arm as he lifted his left hand towards my face. His usually cruel smirk was replaced with an unfitting worried frown. His thumb gently brushed some of my tears away.

I only cried harder.

This was another thing that was bothering me; Shimada-senpai. He's usually such a rude person. He'd make fun of you even if you were the most popular person in your class. He'd sleep with any girl he deemed attractive enough only to break it off the next day for someone else. Senpai would lead you to believe he actually cared, only to smash your heart into smithereens.

But that's if you were attractive. I'm nowhere near the level that boys found incredibly hot; I'm just a below average Plain Jane. I couldn't comprehend how someone could go from calling me derogatory names to wiping away my tears. I couldn't figure him out, and it was driving me insane.

Usually, I'm good at picking out key characteristics. It's an ability I developed over the years of dealing with so many spirits. They were always so defensive; some wanted my help but wasn't sure how to express it. I'd have to do a character analysis on them in my head, judging them based on how they looked and acted. These skills crossed over to the living realm as well, as it helped me avoid people who would find my _gifts_ extraordinarily disturbing.

Even moreover, why was he even here? How did he get sucked up into this hell hole? How is he even _friends_ with the others? Obviously he'd gladly let them die here, so why did he preform the spell? Was he just in the area and got sucked up as well?

"Hey, Kohai… Look at me."

My blurry vision met his icy blue eyes. They were carefully watching my every move, exhaustion still present behind his worry. His frown was now curled into more of a scowl. His red bangs cascaded down from above his forehead; just barely brushing his skin. His breath blew on my skin as he waited for me to say something.

"What's bugging you?"

I wasn't ready to tell him about my Okaasan. No one knew that my mother was a ghost. Everyone just assumed that they were always too busy working so I could go to school, as Byukaden was a well-known private school. They never saw them drop me off, pick me up or even show up to any meetings that the schools had with parents.

Instead, I took a deep breath, calming my sobbing body, "Its fine… I'm sorry… I just…"

Senpai just scoffed, "Whatever… If you don't want to talk about it, I don't care."

He leaned back down after brushing away the last of my salty tears. His right arm slid back under my neck as his left arm lazily draped over my stomach. He said nothing after that.

We laid there in silence; I wasn't sure if he fell back to sleep. I tried to pick out if his breathing pattern had changed, but I wasn't sure if he was sleeping. Instead, I occupied my mind with listening to the sounds around me, trying to ignore him suddenly not caring.

The soft thumping of his heart just barely met my ears, despite his chest being so close to me. There was a resident groaning of the wooden school as it swayed and shuddered in the ever-present storm. The faint clap of thunder could be heard if you strained your ears hard enough. Interestingly, I could hear no moans coming from past victims. Before, they were always present; even if there were no ghosts in sight, such as when we met up with the others on the top of the stairs. I realised I used to faintly hear the groans of the students, while now it was just the squeaking of the school.

The ominous feeling that felt like it was drowning me before the mini earthquake was replaced with a lighter air.

Shimada-senpai sighed, shifting next to me. I squeaked suddenly, not expecting the male to suddenly move. I could feel him chuckle deeply, his chest rumbled with sound, echoing it into the quiet air.

"S-Shimada-senpai…?"

"What?"

His acknowledgement wasn't meant to be rude. It was just a light response to his name, as if we were just friends and not acquaintances in which one disliked the other.

"Why… Why are you here…?"

He snorted, "Because I was tired and there's nowhere else to sleep?"

"N-No… I… I mean here, in the school… Why are _you_ here?"

Senpai understood what I meant this time. He grew quiet, the air growing stiff. I regretted, asking him, as we weren't exactly friends.

"F-Forget I asked… I'm sorry, Senpai…"

"Believe it or not, I took part in the Sachiko Ever After charm with the others," Shimada-senpai finally breathed, ignoring my apology.

I stopped breathing; Shimada-senpai was opening up to me, without any rude repercussions? I was eager to keep him talking before he changed his mind and stopped.

"But why though? You don't seem like friends…"

The redhead next to me gave a long, breathy sigh. I could feel his breath gently caress my hair.

"Well… You know. We're friends since grade-school and..." Shimada-senpai stopped himself. He suddenly froze as his tone turned harsh, "I don't really care about that stupid charm anyway. I just wanted to laugh in their face when it wouldn't work.

I nodded, feeling Shimada-san move his head just an inch away so my hair wouldn't tickle his face. I could tell that there was more to it than that. His whole demeanour changed when it got personal about him; something I decided to note.

There was a hint of hesitation before he continued, "I don't really care about them. I could just walk away from them anytime I wanted."

I couldn't help but turn green with jealousy. Shimada-senpai had friends that even he couldn't figure out why they're still with him. I knew of no living being that would even want to be in my presence if their life depended on it for any lengths of time. I was a cursed child; an omen. They were scared that my ghosts would haunt them…

"What about you? Got any friends?"

I shifted my head so I could look at his face. He was looking down at me so causally, as if he had forgotten who I was.

"No… Not really… Considering…"

I watched him blink, a flash of realisation crossing his face. "Right… Supernatural… Guess I sort of forgot."

"You… forgot I could see ghosts?"

"Well, considering that this entire school is full of fucking corpses and ghosts that even I can see, yeah, I did."

We fell silent after his outburst. I had quickly turned away from him, no longer wanting to look at him.

"Well… There is my mother… But I don't think ghosts count…" I sighed softly under my breath.

Shimada-senpai twisted again. This time, he brought his hand to my chin, forcing me to look into his frozen cyan eyes. They were narrowed, staring intensely into my own emerald eyes.

"What do you mean? Are you saying that your mom is a ghost…? Or that your mother is your friend and that ghosts don't count."

I closed my eyes, not allowing myself to get lost in his ever-present gaze. I could still see them though; those eyes were burned into the back of my mind.

"Your mother is a ghost…"

"What of it…?" I uncharacteristically defended myself, my voice barely above a whisper.

There was a long, pregnant pause before he spoke again. This time, his volume matched my whisper, "Who takes care of you…? Your father?"

I shook my head no in his grasp, "She does…"

I didn't see his reaction, but I could only assume it was bad. I could feel his entire body stiffen against mine, his fingers losing their grip on my chin. I forced my head away from him, biting back the tears that threatened to start spilling again.

Of course. It was bad enough I could see ghosts on a daily basis, but to be raised by one as well? It's no different than being the daughter of the devil and being raised by him. I was nothing but a curse; everything about me screamed supernatural. How many people could say their dead mother raised them? Who wants to hang out with someone as twisted as me?

Now he probably think's even worse of me; he's probably kicking himself for ever opening up to me like he did… Senpai probably regrets even saving me from Kizami-senpai… That he should have just let me there to die.

I felt him move away from me. I bit back a whimper; I didn't want him to leave. He was going to leave me here in the infirmary and there was nothing I could – or would – do about it. Shimada-senpai was going to ditch me, leave me to die in my own right. I suppose I could leave after he does, but what would be the point? I'd be wondering the hallways alone, scared, and unsure entirely of what was going on. Not that I could exactly walk anyway, with my sprained ankle and all.

I felt him get up, the bed behind me groaning as the extra weight was lifted off of it. My stomach dropped; I could feel bile at the back of my throat wanting to come up again. I felt sick; I didn't want him to go. Instead of voicing that, I curled into a ball, shivering as the warm Senpai offered quickly left and was replaced with the stale coolness of the school. I couldn't find the energy to slide under the covers of the bed.

I could hear his footsteps leave the bedside. They were slow, as if I was some fierce predator and he was supposed to back away slowly. I pulled the blazer I wore tighter around my body. I suppose he didn't want this back now, considering that I was wearing it. He probably thought I somehow tainted it; that some ghost spirit now haunted the fabric.

I lost track of where his footsteps were going. The layout of the room was muddled in my brain; I couldn't remember where the exit was. I thought it was at the end of the wall that the beds were leaned up against, but Shimada-senpai's footsteps were going to the opposite corner of the room.

I bit my lip hard as I heard a door squeak open. I couldn't remember if Shimada-senpai had shut the door when we came in – he must have if the door squeaked open. I could only lie there, shivering like the pathetic person I was, my back facing towards the sound. I couldn't bear to bring myself to watch his retreating figure. I didn't want to watch the closet person I had to a friend leave me here alone in this cursed school.

"Hey, I think I found some ice… and some pain killers. How'd I miss them before?"

I jolted at the sound of his voice. A small cry of confusion and surprise passed my lips as I quickly sat up. My head spun from the sudden movement, causing my vision to black out for a second. Thoughts raced my mind a mile a minute. Why was he still here? Isn't he going to leave? Why isn't he yelling at me in anger?

My body trembled as I stared at Shimada-senpai wide eyed. He narrowed his eyes at me in confusion, a worried frown gracing his lips.

"What's the matter with you? You're not getting sick, are you? You're looking a little pale…" his voice trailed off before he grabbed a pill bottle and an ice pack. "Here, catch."

He threw the items at me, expecting me to catch them. The cold pack landed on the bed next to me as the pill bottle hit my chest before tumbling and rolling to the floor. It didn't roll far, narrowly missing one of the holes that opened up to the abyss below.

"I said "catch", Kohai! You nearly lost the painkillers…" Shimada-senpai grumbled, relieved that the bottle wasn't rolling anymore.

He knelt down in front of the medical cabinet he stood at, going through the lower drawers in search of something else. He smiled as he pulled out a white blanket, shaking it free of dust and wood clipping. "Here, this'll keep you warm."

He walked back over to the bed, carrying the bulky blanket with one arm. He reached down to grab the bottle her threw before chucking both on the bed before sitting on the edge of it. He made a grab at the ice pack, cracking and shaking it.

"Can't believe I missed this the first time I went through the cabinets… Should've checked again."

I said nothing as I couldn't help but gawk at the model that still graced me with his presence.

He noticed my wide-eyed expression hadn't changed, voicing his concerns, "Okay seriously, what's wrong?"

"You're… Still here…"

Shimada-senpai snorted hotly, "Well of fucking course I'm still here. Why the fuck would I be leavin' for?"

"Be-because… I… I was raised by a ghost…?"

Now that I said it out loud, it sounded completely idiotic and stupid to think so. I felt incredibly silly; ashamed I would ever think that. His dumbfounded expression matched my thoughts exactly, flabbergasted that I would ever think that.

"You are seriously an idiot… An idiot with a lot of issues…" he muttered, his voice and eyes going soft as he trailed off.

I felt tears prick my eyes ten-fold as my body gave way to violent tremors. I felt possessed as my body lurched forward to his. He grunted at my sudden tackle, arms flying out in surprise. I violently gripped the fabric of his dress shirt as tears began to cascade down my cheeks. My body shook with my silent sobbing as I held nothing back.

" _Fuck…_ Minoto-san… _Jesus_ , calm down already… Look, I ain't leavin' ya any time soon, alright? No need to get all upset over it…"

I felt him arms pull me tighter into a warm embrace as he attempted to soothe me. One of his hands gently rubbed my back as the over caressed the back of my head, fingers gently running through my brown hair.

Once my outcry calmed down, I hiccuped as I pulled away. I couldn't help but notice the damp spots on his chest where I had my head.

"I-I'm so sorry…"

"Oh shut up, Minoto-san. I don't care as long as you're okay, alright? Now, are you feeling any better? Do you believe me when I say I'm not going to leave you?"

I nod silently, finding sudden interest in the rotting floorboards below us.

"Here," Shimada-senpai muttered, handing something to me.

It was the pill bottle earlier, the label reading ibuprofen.

"There's no fresh water… I checked earlier when I was getting the supplies. You're going to have to swallow them dry, but it's better than nothing…"

I nod curtly, popping the bottle and dumping two pills into my hand. I never thought about checking the expiration date, instead popping one pill at a time and swallowing dryly. I could feel them slide down my throat uncomfortably as I tried swallowing harshly to get them down.

Shimada-senpai took the bottle from me and did the same; dumping two pills then taking them one at a time. I watched his Adam's Apple bob as he forced the pills down his throat, his expression twisting at the almost intolerable feeling.

Without saying anything else, Shimada-senpai took the discarded ice pack he had put back on the bed earlier and started shaking it again. Within seconds he stopped, nudging me to lie down.

"I'm… going to see if there's another pillow in the cabinet. We should probably elevate that foot… Keep the ice on it until I say so."

Shimada-senpai got up, gingerly placing the ice on my bandaged foot. He trotted back to the cabinet, looking in the lower drawers again. He sifted through the junk that filled them, frowning when he couldn't find anything.

"I guess we can use the other pillow that's there… Not like you were using it anyway," he smirked smugly at me.

I blushed heavily, narrowing my eyes in embarrassment as Shimada-senpai just laughed at me, "No worries… I'm sure my arm's more comfortable than these blasted things anyway."

The older boy walked back over to me, reaching over my body to grab the spare pillow that sat forgotten on the bed. He tapped my injured leg, prompting me to lift it up so he could lay the pillow underneath it. He sat on the edge of the bed again, lazily looking over my leg.

"We should probably get more sleep… I'm still a bit drowsy from this blasted hand," he grumbled, his injured hand twitching in response, "But we can't leave the ice on while we do… I still can't believe I never noticed it there."

"It's… alright, Shimada-senpai. You can sleep if you want. I'll take it off."

"Fuck that. No sense on doing everything yourself, Kohai."

I noticed he switched from using my actual name to the honorific again. I wanted to call him out on it, but figured it'd lead to unwanted commentary from the model.

"How's your hand…?"

"Sore… Still throbs really badly. I suppose I should change it… But I'll do that before we leave."

I nod, my eyes drifting shut. Despite the nap that we took earlier, my body still felt exhausted. I felt cold without Shimada-senpai next to me to warm me, goosebumps forming on my arms and exposed legs.

Senpai noticed my slight shivers, standing up while reaching for the forgotten blanket. He shook the fabric free from its folds, draping it over my body with a tired look.

"It's not much… But I'm sure it'll be better once I get under it too," he murmured, rolling down the sleeves of his shirt.

It just clued into me that Shimada-senpai was probably cold as well, standing up without his blazer on. My cheeks flooded with embarrassment as I began to sit up quickly, "I'm so sorry, Senpai… You-You can have your blazer back."

The redhead nearly growled at me, his eyes narrowed and glaring daggers at me, "I don't want the damned blazer back, Kohai. I have two shirts on; I can easily just roll down my sleeves."

I said nothing, instead propping back down into the sheets. I could feel Shimada-senpai's glare return back to a normal gaze, a soft sigh passing through his nose.

"I don't have a watch… And I'm not sure how fast time is passing… I don't want to leave the ice on it too long so I'm just going to take it off now, alright?"

I said nothing as the teen lifted the blanket to reveal my foot. He removed the ice pack from it, sending a shiver up my spine as his fingers just barely touched the sensitive area. He didn't notice, discarding that and the pill bottle he had stuffed into his pants pocket onto the side table that had been next to the bed.

He looked over my body one final time before lifting the covers off of me so he could slide in next to me. No words were exchanged as he scooted close to me, my face pressed up against his chest. I breathed in his scent like before – expensive cologne with a dash of vanilla. I quickly turned around, pressing my back against him as I suddenly found myself claustrophobic against him. He said nothing as his arms snaked under my neck and around my waist, pulling me closer into his warmth. I shivered as my back was cold from being exposed to the stale air for too long.

"You know… It's been proven it's easier to keep body heat with someone if you get naked," Shimada-senpai purred teasingly into my ear.

My breath hitched; my heart thudding rapidly. My cheeks flamed bright red as dirty images flashed through my head. My eyes shut tightly as I tried to banish the perverted thoughts out of my head.

Shimada-senpai only laughed into my ear, his breath causing more shivers to cascade throughout my body.

"Don't be afraid to wake me if you need me, Minoto-kohai."

I nodded stiffly, my eyes still shut tight. I barely noticed his sudden use of my last name, "Yes, Shimada-senpai."

* * *

 **So not a lot happened in this chapter... Mainly filler, character developing, etc. Next chapter is almost the same but there's more things happening. (Aika will become less needy, I promise.)**

 **I wrote an entire list of things I want to happen in this story. Between events, character development, traits, it's pretty long. I'm really excited to hopefully write these scenes I have planned to flesh out both my character and Kai, who didn't have a big role to begin with.**


	4. Chapter 4

**What. Two updates in one month? Madness. Guess I'll go away for about a year before posting a new chapter to even it out. (I actually have to write the 5th chapter in order to do that though...)**

 **Warning: Rated M for a reason folks.**

 **Unbeta'd. All mistakes are my own.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own CP. I do, however, own Aika Minoto as she is technically my character. (But the universe in which she resides in, relationships included, are not.)**

* * *

Even in a wicked place such as this, where even the building is out to get you…

"Aw… They are so cute…! They're almost as cute as Naomi-chan and Mochida-san!"

That has pain and suffering etched into the walls only to be oozed back out… With evil that's absorbed into your heart and forever taints it…

"Haha! You're right! But, oh, uh, keep your voice down, Shinohara-san… They might be able to hear you…"

Whether its war or just a school with killer instincts, it seems you're always able to find a kind-hearted soul amongst the rubble. Well, a kind-hearted spirit or two.

The voices in my ears faded away as my consciousness returned slowly, my brain groggy with sleep. My ankle throbbed uncomfortably as the bandage that wrapped around it felt almost too tight. Pleasant, heavy warmth weighed nearly on top of me, going down the length of my back. I could feel my mind slipping back to sleep once more; I felt completely at peace, forgetting the world around me.

A brief thought brushed through my mind; what was causing the inviting warmth behind me?

I was reminded on what it was when the heat shifted, uttering a soft moan in my ear. I could feel my heart began to hammer. Images flashed in my mind of the events that happened before I fell asleep; waking up in this school, meeting Kirisaki-senpai and her friends, Katayama-senpai dying right before my eyes, running away from a twisted Kizami-senpai, finding the infirmary with Shimada-senpai…

I felt his hot breath tickle my neck, his arms tightening their steel grip around my body. He sighed gently in his sleep, nuzzling his head into my hair.

I felt claustrophobic. My chest tightened as I began having difficulty breathing. My heart was racing even faster than before, my cheeks blushing red. I struggled to twist in his grip, finding solace when I finally settled onto my back to breathe fresher stale air as opposed to the mildew of the fabric.

Shimada-senpai grumbled in his sleep, moving against my body as well. His left arm slide down to wrap around my hips, gripping the fabric on my side. His right arm stayed slack beneath my neck. Senpai craned his neck up, pressing his cheek against the top of my head. He had to adjust his leg that was propped up over my own. It now sprawled across both of them instead of resting on top of the one. He sighed contently, settling down.

I allowed myself to begin breathing again, having held my breath as Senpai adjusted himself.

I could still hear his thudding heartbeat, slow and steady. I had grown accustomed to it, allowing my thoughts to cease as the sound of the muscle pumping filled my ears. It was a strange sound; I've never heard it before until now.

For my entire life, it was just me and my ghosts. They were my only companions; they were the ones who kept me warm at night. I never even had a pet, as it would've been too much work for just me alone. I never heard the beating metronome of the heart, not including my own when it beat loudly in my ears.

I swore my ears caught the whisper of someone's voice that resonated throughout the room, "I think we woke her up…"

I kept me breathing calm; I was used to hearing voices out of the blue. I wanted to sit up to see if anyone was there, but I didn't want to end up waking Shimada-senpai. Instead, I stayed where I was, waiting to see if the voice spoke again.

"Don't be so silly, Suzumoto-san! I'm sure no one can hear us!"

It was a different voice this time. The first one was softer, calmer to the ear. The second voice was increasingly more energetic, a playfulness in the tone. They were both distinctly female, and none of which I've heard from anyone before.

"Hello…?" I murmured out, deciding to see if anyone was in the room with us. "Is anyone there…?"

The only response I got was from Shimada-senpai who grumbled in my ear, obviously not pleased with my voice suddenly ripping through the silence.

I sighed, thinking that it was my imagination. Even if I could see spirits on a daily basis, the back of my mind told me it was nothing.

My eyes slid shut, deciding that I would relax here until Senpai woke up. I kept my breathing quiet as I found myself straining my ears for the voices.

I counted in my head to thirty-seven before my ears picked up of the voices again, "I think she can hear us, Shinohara-san… Oh… oopsies… Better put you back…"

"Bah! She probably just heard something, Suzumoto-san! … I wonder what school they go to; I like their uniforms!"

"Byukaden Senior High School…" I answered shakily as my eyes snapped open.

As I figured, the voices were coming right above me, literally. Two opaque figures hovered above the bed.

They both had high energy levels, their colours vivid. Both girls had a tan sailor like school uniform with a blue skirt and blue collar, the cuff of their shirt also a light blue. A blue brooch was pinned at the middle of their collar with a yellow ribbon.

The first girl had dark brown hair that was curled onto her shoulders. Her expression had an eternal playful expression; her mouth was twisted into a mischievous smile while her brown eyes sparked with playfulness.

Her neck, however, was a sight for sore eyes.

I've seen the marking's before on many, many ghosts before her. The familiar ghost-glass shape, the rugged pattern that was forever etched in the skin… She hung herself, her neck tilting to the side just slightly from what appeared to be a decapitation.

The second girl had medium length brown hair was pulled back into a small ponytail on the right side of her head; the hair tie tying it back had two pink circles. Two orange barrettes kept her bangs apart. She held a gentle expression, but her eyes conveyed constant pain and suffering. Every moment or so, a piece of her body would start peeling away, so she had to place it back.

They looked at me shocked, fading in and out of existence.

"See? I told you she could hear us…"

The first girl stuck her tongue out to the second, placing her hands on her hips, "Well how was I supposed to know that, Suzu-san?!"

The calmer girl sighed, wincing as a piece of her flesh began to peel of her face. She slowly brought her fingers up to gently press it back in place.

"We're sorry for waking you," she murmured, her eyes apologetic. "We just… Didn't think anyone could hear us…"

The ghosts fell quiet, even the louder one whose expression was replaced with a darker, sadder one. I could feel the air in the room grow colder; it was getting difficult to breathe again.

"Uh… Do-Don't worry about it… I'm Minoto Aika, by the way."

The girls perked up slightly, a smile finding its way back on the first ghost's lips.

"Well I'm Shinohara Seiko, and this is Suzumoto Mayu! We're eleventh graders from Kisaragi Academy!" the first ghost introduced ecstatically.

I gave them a gentle smile, nodding my head, "As I said, I'm from Byukaden Senior High School; a tenth grader. It's a pleasure to meet you, Shinohara-senpai, Suzumoto-senpai."

Both of their faces turned sour, grimacing at the honorific just as Kirisaki-senpai had.

"Shinohara-san's fine if you don't mind me calling you Minoto-san," the brown-eyed girl frowned, crossing her arms.

The blue-eyed ghost nodded, brushing her bangs out of her face though they fell in the exact same place, "It's weird to be called _senpai…_ So if you don't mind, just _san_ is fine. It's not like we're much older than you anyway!"

I couldn't help but smile, feeling a positive energy radiating off the ghosts despite the evil presence of the school.

Shinohara-senpai wasted no time jumping into a conversation, "It's so weird you can see us… Naomi-chan couldn't see me earlier! I don't understand… Oh, poor Naomi-chan… She still blames herself…!"

My breath hitched; they didn't know I could see ghosts on a regular basis. This place is so full of ghosts, it wouldn't be surprised they saw some themselves before they died. I didn't want to tell them… I was tired of being judged.

Instead, I worked up a half-convincing lie, "Well, maybe it's because I've been here for a different amount of time…? Perhaps I've been here longer, and the school's affecting more than your friend has."

My chest squeezed as I fought the urge to bite my lip. Neither girl looked like they believed me, but they had nothing else to go on. The chocolate eyes of the first girl closed, shrugging her shoulders lazily, "Maybe… Oh well, I'll tell her later when she's able to see me."

I nod slowly, slightly surprised on how sane they are. In comparison to Katayama-senpai, who didn't even bat an eye towards his best friend after his death…

"Who's your boyfriend?" the energetic ghost smirked suddenly.

The whole world shrunk on me as I came very self-aware with the fact I was still very evidently sleeping next to the model. To make matters worse, Shimada-senpai only emphasized the fact he was cuddling me by snuggling even closer to me.

"H-He's… Um… Not…"

Shinohara-senpai laughed; it was an oddly melodic and light in the heaviness of the school. I felt light just hearing it.

"You're worse than Naomi-chan when it comes to Mochida-san! You're _obviously_ in love; he even saved your life when you almost fell in the void!"

My embarrassment amplified ten-fold, blood rushing and filling my cheeks. My thoughts ran rampant as a scenario playing out in my head; Shimada-senpai sudden waking up while the ghosts floated above us. He would get severely pissed at me for not saying anything; why would he want to be associated with me?

"Minoto-san? Are you okay?" Suzumoto-senpai spoke up.

I blinked, my vision focusing on the floating figures above me. They were both watching me with worried expressions.

"His name is Shimada Kai-senpai… And we… We aren't dating…"

The first ghost pouted, her eyebrows narrowing with doubt, "Are you sure…? I did see him save you… It looked so romantic!"

I finally caught on to her words, piecing the scene she spoke of together, "Wait… You saw that…?"

My mind raced, looking for any recollection of a ghostly girl who wore a uniform similar to hers.

 _My green orbs drifted to one ghost in particular. Her energy levels were rather high showing more colour than the rest. She must have died recently... I could almost not see through her; her yellow and blue uniform almost completely solid._

"Wait… I think I remember seeing you earlier…"

The girl only grinned, "I'd hope so!"

My gaze drifted towards Suzumoto-senpai who fell quiet. He eyes had clouded over as more pieces of her skin peeled off of her, revealing her dripping innards. She didn't seem like she was paying attention to the conversation, lost in her own world.

Upon seeing her, Shinohara-senpai also fell silent. I watched as the light in her eyes disappeared; replaced with a haunted look. She groaned, a hand wrapping around her broken neck.

Darkness seemed to sink into the room from the walls. It reached out like tendrils of smokey wisps, grasping onto the ghosts before me. Their eyes darkened, the faces falling still. Foam started to form around Shinohara-senpai's lips as her head dipped to the side at a disturbing angle; definitely broken. Suzumoto-senpai merely started to fall apart without her consent. Pieces of her flesh and blood dripped away without her seemingly noticing. The parts dissappeared before they even hit the ground.

Suddenly, the two girls drifted away from the bed, the darkness seemingly pulling them towards something. I couldn't make much sense of it, my mind still groggy from sleep. They began to phase through the wall before I worked up the courage to call out to them, "W-Wait… Where are you going?"

I watched their figures disappear into the walls of the schools, my cries left unheard to the undead world.

"What the fuck are you yelling at…?"

I jolted in my spot, hearing a growl rumble from Shimada-senpai's chest. He tightened his body in a stretch, a yawn passing through his lips as he propped himself up.

"Uh… I…"

"Actually, I don't really care," he snapped.

I clamped my lips shut. I dared not speak again as the teen groaned once more, moving himself onto his back. My side felt cold as his chest as moved away from me. His left arm draped lazily over his stomach as his right arm stayed as my pillow. He hitched one of his legs up while the other spanned the length of the bed.

I quickly stole a look at his face, quietly noting that he looked much healthier than before.

"How's your ankle…?" he muttered hoarsely, his voice thick with sleep.

It throbbed painfully when he mentioned it. It wasn't hurting as much as before, but it was still sensitive to the point that it would be difficult to walk on without pain.

"It's… okay…"

I could sense him rolling his eyes, twisting himself so he could reach something on the side table next to him. He popped open the pill bottle before popping two in his mouth, then handed two to me.

"Don't lie to me. If it hurts, it hurts. Fuck, my hand still hurts but you don't see me tryin' to hide it."

I nodded numbly, taking the pills and swallowing them dryly one at a time. I twitched the toes of my bad foot slightly, grimacing as pain shot up my leg.

"You think you can walk on it without needing me to carry you?" he sighed.

I nodded my head slowly; I wasn't entirely sure I could but I didn't want to lag him down.

Shimada-senpai sighed again, lifting himself up. He pushed himself off the bed with a groan, stretching his limbs out to wake his stiff muscles.

I scooted over to the edge of the bed, hesitantly place my feet on the dusty floor. A cold shiver shot up my leg as my bare toes touched the ground. I peered around the bed, "Where did you put my shoe…?"

Senpai looked around with tired eyes, leaning down when he found it.

"Think we should put your socks on?"

I thought for a brief second, "I… I think it'd be best… It'd help prevent chafing."

The redhead nodded, lowering himself to one knee. His cold fingers gently bushed against my injured leg, prompting me to lift it up for him. I could feel myself begin to blush, my toes stiff as Shimada-senpai slowly rolled the sock over the bandages.

The position we were in reminded me of an old American animated movie I saw when I was younger; a beautiful maid had the Prince to place her missing glass slipper onto her foot.

Senpai had begun to carefully move my foot onto my sock-covered foot.

This was no fairy tale though. I wasn't a pretty girl who lived with her cruel step-family. Shimada-senpai wasn't my Prince Charming who would take me away from them. I was just a nobody who was raised by ghosts while he was a famous male model who just so happened to be putting my black Mary Jane back on my foot; there was no glass slipper, no forever afters.

Shimada-senpai did the strap of my shoe looser than what it was before so it didn't irritate my swollen ankle. His fingers seemed to linger just a touch longer than it needed to be.

"C'mon… Let's see if we can find a way out… Or someone who actually knows what's going on; preferably somebody sane."

I gave a silent nod, pushing off the rest of the blanket that had gathered around my waist. I summoned the strength to push my body off of the mattress, stumbling a bit to gain my balance. My merely ankle screamed at me as I put pressure on it.

I bit back a whimper, leaning heavily on my good foot, "I… think I'm okay…"

Shimada-senpai rolled his eyes, reaching out to grab my wrist with his good hand. He said nothing, eyeing me expectantly.

I took a hesitant step towards him, feeling his steely eyes following me. I was shaky and clumsy, already feeling as though I were lagging him down even if we weren't going anywhere yet.

Guilt began to pile on my shoulders.

What would happen if Kizami-senpai found us and chased us? I doubt I'd be able to run… Shimada-senpai would probably just leave me to die like we did with Ohkawa-senpai… Leave me to die at the hands of our deranged schoolmate.

Scenarios filled my head as I thought of ways I could escape him; hiding in one of the classrooms? Maybe if I stood still, he wouldn't notice me like before…

"Kohai? What's wrong?"

I was shook away from my thoughts. I looked up to see Shimada-senpai staring intensively at me. There was a trace of worry behind his annoyed look.

"N-Nothing…" I was trying to shake the thoughts of him suddenly ditching me away.

"Oh fuck off, Kohai… I asked you a damned question so I expect a damned answer… Something's clearly bugging you."

I swallowed dryly, trying to keep my voice from wavering, "No… Really, it's okay… I was just thinking."

"Fine, whatever…"

Shimada-senpai's hand never left mine as he began to pull away. His steps were slow, his head turning back to me, "You ready?"

I took another grueling step forward, grimacing at the stiff pain.

"Look, if you need to lean on me or whatever, just say it. There's no fucking point in lagging me down when it'd be faster if I helped. Let me know if you need a break from walking too," he mumbled almost inaudibly.

I felt my heart swell at his quiet words. I could almost see the blush dusting his cheeks as he looked defiantly away. Never had anyone go to such lengths to accommodate me, besides my own mother. Even if he'd leave me for dead without feeling an ounce of remorse, his caring words almost made everything okay.

"Stop spacing out on me, would ya? Try to remember this is a killer school and not some Halloween house… You'd be useless to me dead; don't think I actually care."

His words stung, but it couldn't wipe the grin that formed on my face as I hobbled behind him.

We were almost out the door when I just so happened to look at his other hand, seeing the white that was wrapped around it.

"Wait… Shouldn't we change your bandage?"

Shimada-senpai groaned loudly, his shoulders slumping.

"Do we have to…?" his voice was hardly a hair above a whisper.

I could feel my cheeks puff as I tugged his arm gently, "Do you want it to get infected? I don't know how long we slept… So we should change it just in case."

He sighed in defeat, his shoulders sagging even more, "I guess so… I suppose I should get it changed…"

We turned back to the bed; I silently instructed the teen to sit on it while I grabbed clean medical supplies.

"Wouldn't it make more sense for me to grab the supplies considering you're the one with the injured foot?"

"Does the doctor make a patient grab the scalpel because the doctor cut his hand?"

I grabbed new dressing, cleaning alcohol and swabs from the medical cabinet before limping back to the bed. I sat down next to him where he had his bad hand hidden away from me.

"It's better to check just in case… We might not be able to clean it later."

"Fine…" he agreed reluctantly, showing hand his hand as his nostrils flared while he turned his head the other way.

I un-clipped the aluminium clips before slowly peeling away the fabric. I kept my pace slow and methodical, careful not to disturb the wound too much. I could feel Shiamda-senpai freeze under my touch as I neared the dressing that protected the stab wound. Being as gentle as possibly, I lifted the final gauze away, wincing at the sight of the stained dressing. My fingers found the corner of the stained cloth, pulling it away from the back of his hand; some of it stuck, encrusted into the dried blood. Shimada-senpai spat out a few English swear words, his arm shaking with the urge to pull away.

There didn't seem to be any pull or yellowing of the skin, which I took as a good sign.

"I'll quickly disinfect it once more then re-wrap it."

The model hummed a strained response, his icy eyes flickering with the throbbing pain.

I dipped some cleaning alcohol onto a swab, gently brushing away the caked blood and any excess dirt.

" _Fuck_ … Careful dammit. It's sore…"

I nod, easing my pressure enough so it would still clean the wound but wouldn't bug him as much. Despite this, he kept wincing, causing my heart to clench uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry…" I mumbled.

"Just hurry it up."

I threw the dirty swabs and dressing down into the abyss, not knowing what else to do with. I unwrapped a new dressing, reaching for the redhead's good hand for him to keep the new dressing in place while I worked on the other side. I cleaned it, getting another piece of sterile cloth to hide the wound. Once again, I anchored the bandage on his wrist, finishing with the aluminium clips.

"It wasn't so bad, was it…?"

Shimada-senpai just sneered, his cheeks dusting pink, "Whatever. Let's get out of this infirmary… I never liked hospitals."

He grabbed my hand and helped me to my feet once he stood up. We finally exited the room with no further delays; a sense of melancholy washed over me.

I almost didn't want to leave the room; it was where I was really able to bond with someone – which has never really happened before. I almost wanted to be locked in the room forever with Shimada-senpai, just so he would be forced to be my friend…

Without warning, the door to the room slammed shut behind us without any apparent reason. We both jumped, a small yelp of surprise passing through my lips. Senpai cursed in his foreign tongue, quickly letting go of my hand to try the door. The doorknob shook uselessly in his grasp. He even tried body slamming it to open, but the wood didn't budge. It was almost like the door became part of the wallpaper…

"What the actual fuck!" The teen kicked the door a few times, crying out in frustration. "What the fuck is wrong with this fucking school!"

I could only watch in silent horror, not knowing if I should intervene or let Shimada-senpai burn some fuel. He banged on the door a few times, breathing heavily before giving it one last kick before walking away from it. He gripped is ruby hair, gritting his teeth as he mumbled incoherently under his breath.

A final, steadier breath filled his lungs before he finally spoke coherently again, "I hope you didn't leave anything in that fucking room…"

I stayed silent, quickly shaking my head no as I almost shied away from him. He didn't seem to notice, going back to mumbling under his breath. His hand suddenly lashed out to mine, gripping my wrist roughly as he began to pull me down the hall. His pace was fast and inconsiderate considering that I could barely stand without my ankle protesting.

"Shi-Shimada-senpai…!"

My plea fell on deaf ears as he continued to ignore me. If anything, his tight grasp on my wrist only strengthened.

My body began to tremble; what if Shimada-senpai has finally snapped like Kizami-senpai had? Is he going to hurt me?

I ran possible escape routes in my overactive mind.

Maybe Shimada-senpai will forget about me quickly – like everyone else. I could possibly find a nook to hide in… Somewhere where Shimada-senpai couldn't get to me…

"Who were you talking to earlier?"

"Huh?"

He surprised me from my erratic thoughts. His tone was oddly calm, in comparison to his rash behaviour just minutes before,

"Who were you talking to? You were talking to someone just as I woke up."

"Oh… Uh… It was no one…"

He sighed rather loudly, ending it with a slight growl, "Why is that when I ask you a question, you lie to me? I ask you an honest question; I expect an honest answer."

I fell silent to his outburst. I felt guilty for continuously lying to him, even if he could detect them, but what else was I supposed to say? Tell him that I was talking to ghosts?

"Well?" He was waiting for my answer.

"G-Ghosts…"

"Ghosts," he repeated. "Right… That's a thing."

I held my breath, waiting for the teasing… but none ever came.

"Do you see any ghosts now?"

I looked away from him to take at the surroundings. Nothing really has changed from before; the long, hallway was dark and virtually empty of any bodies. The walls still peeled musky paint that collected in piles on the floor. The floorboards themselves were a dark brown – weren't they tan before? The boards moaned loudly under us in the deafening quiet. Holes to God know where still littered most of the walking space, where we had to weave around them. The air had dust kicked up in it, making it almost harder to breathe in. Curiously, there were no ghosts. There weren't even traces of random bones or clothing that seemed to decorate some of the school beforehand.

I turned back to Senpai, "Uh… N-No… None right now…"

I watched him nod.

Our pace slowed considerably; I was able to limp somewhat without it hurting so much.

"How come you can see ghosts sometimes but not others? Do they run away or something?"

To be frank, I was dumbfounded. I could never imagine being lead through a dark, evilly haunted school by a male model who seemed genuinely interested in my _gifts_.

"Um… They don't run away…" I started out slowly, piecing my words carefully in my head. "To be honest, I haven't exactly figured out why I can see – or hear – ghosts more often than others…"

"So you're not always seeing ghosts."

"No… I think it might have to do with the light spectrum… You know what that is, right? Humans seeing only visible light and stuff… Well… What I think is that I can see a wider band of the light spectrum; ghosts can change their wave form depending on the amount of energy they have… It would make sense why I don't see them all the time – I can only see so much before they disappear to my eyes as well."

"And hearing?"

"Similar philosophy… Only dealing with decibels instead of light… But that gets a bit more wonky where there's sounds on different decibel levels that I can't hear, despite the fact I can hear ghosts."

"So basically… You have superhuman strength and hearing."

I pause, "Uh… Yeah… Sort of, I guess."

"And you came up with this all by yourself?"

"What, the theory? Well… Um… I did a bit of research myself… But a lot of it was just from me wanting a somewhat solid explanation, even though there are a lot of holes…"

Shimada-senpai nodded slowly, allowing my words to sink in. "You're almost like Superman I guess; with the extended hearing and sight."

"W-Well… My sense of smell is weak to compensate apparently… And Okaasan says my sense of taste sucks too…" I blushed.

"Remind me not to have you cook for me…" he chuckled.

I nodded silently, an odd, hopeful feeling filling me at his comment.

Would we actually hang out if we ever get out of this place? Would I ever get the chance to actually cook for Shimada-senpai?

No more words were exchanged between us as we stalked the halls in silence. The scenery stayed pretty much the same; old creaky floors full of holes, the walls chipping paint, the ceiling just a black void above us. The only sounds were our steps, but they seem to be swallowed up by the walls. No ghosts seemed to stalk the halls here, which I found oddly concerning.

"I picked your bones… It's only right you pick mine," Shimada-senpai broke the silence.

I can ask Shimada-senpai a personal question?

My mind began reeling with all sorts of questions that popped out of nowhere.

What was it like to be a model? Do you have any fangirls? Is it true you had ten girlfriends at the one time? What's it like to be popular? What's it like to have _friends_?

"What's your dream job?"

It was a question that came out of the blue. My lips spoke it before my brain had a chance to register it. Of all the things I could ask Shimada-senpai, I asked that.

Shimada-senpai stopped walking; ending with me bumping into him, not expecting him to halt. He peered down at me with a quizzical expression, "What?"

My cheeks flushed red ad I quietly repeated the question so he knew what I said, "Your dream job… What do you want to do after you graduate high school…?"

Shimada-senpai gave me a weary look before he began to speak. "I was planning on moving to America," he began slowly, his words deliberately chosen. "I'm thinking about being a hair dresser."

 _Shimada Kai's Hair Salon_ … It had a nice ring to it. I could picture the fiery redhead behind a salon chair, hair pinned back into a messy bun with a pair of scissors in one hand while the other held a comb. A cocky smile graced his lips as he stared at me with half-lidded eyes.

I would never claim that I saw that one coming; I thought that he would stay a model… Or become an actor in a movie. He always seemed to live the celebrity lifestyle, so I assumed that it would carry over into his profession.

"Why?" I inquired.

I guess I was starting to delve too deep because he immediately turned on me, snapping at me defensively.

"What do you fucking mean, why? What, you think I'm not good enough to be a hair dresser? That hair dressers are only for girls?"

"What..?! N-No! I… I didn't mean anything bad by it…"

Shimada-senpai scoffed at me, a growl grumbling from his chest.

"It's just…" My voice almost fell completely silent. "I just always see you living the rambunctious life of a celebrity… Maybe a movie star or stick with modelling… I was just curious why you wanted to be a hair dresser…"

The model snorted, a smirk gracing his handsome face, "What? You don't think I'll be cutting the hair of famous celebrities? I'll be the hottest hair dresser in all of Japan… Wait, no; in all of America."

His cockiness made me grin; I forgot about the fact that he didn't answer why he wanted to become a hair dresser. Instead, Shimada-senpai shifted the conversation back on me, "What about you? What are your aspirations in life?"

I could already feel his cruel sneer before I even said anything. I could hear his deep voice mocking me inside my head.

I briefly debated whether or not I should lie on what I had plans for, but the voice in my head told me that it wouldn't do me any good; any other time I lied didn't bode too well.

I sucked in a deep breath of the mould-infested air, swallowing whatever little dignity I had left, "I wanted to become an international paranormalist…"

I unconsciously squeezed his warm hand as my eyes closed; I could just hear his cruel jests.

"Should've known, considering you are Ghost-kohai."

And that was it. Just a simple "should've known considering who you are" statement, in a light tone to boot. No rude remarks, no snide remarks about my curse. Even the use of my nickname was used in more of a playful way that a mean name. Just a "yeah, cool."

I couldn't say anything; I couldn't believe it. My throat tightened up as I choked on a sob. He didn't seem to notice as he calmly lead me through the hallways. All I could do was follow the redhead in blissful silence.

* * *

 **More filler but at least they're moving now!**

A few notes (feel free to skip over... Its just a little explanation of stuff I wanna explain):

 **The part where Aika remembers that Kai's bandage needed to be changed was where I remembered I had to write that in.. I completely forgot it needed to be changed but I was already so far so I decided to just add more to the chapter and keep them in the infirmary for a bit longer.**

 **Well, I don't know how many of you guessed it (probably none) but the ghost Aika saw before Kai saved her from falling was indeed in fact a student from Kisaragi (Seiko Shinohara) albeit not well described.**

 **The explanation about Aika's ability to see/hear ghosts was completely made up. I have no idea; it just sounded solid. And, as Aika mentioned, is full of holes but does provide at least somewhat of an explanation, albeit a really bad one.**

 **Seiko and Mayu will probably be back. You've got to remember that the pull of school's darkness affects people differently. The girls were affected differently than Ryosuke because they are more energetic, per se (Especially Seiko). I guess you could call them "purer" than he.**

 **I should probably mention that this is a combination of Corpse Party for PSP and Corpse Party: Book of Shadows. Elements from BoS will be present due to Kai actually having a role in that game, but will follow a similar story line as of the PSP version due to that was the version I played with a friend, and I believe it was the version I watched being played by a Youtuber.**

 **As of this point, chapter 5 only has about 1000 words written down somewhere in some forgotten exercise book. I promise there will be more action, (cough puzzles cough) but I haven't looked at that since before exams started in June. I don't know when I'll even look at it again, but for now, here's chapter 4 to keep you all satisfied. I hope you enjoyed!**


	5. Chapter 5

**I swear this chapter has been written for a month... So is chapter 6. Chapter 7 is a complete writers block though.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own CP. Aika is my own character.**

* * *

The school is like a big labyrinth; a maze of empty classrooms and rotting corpses… The smell penetrating the wood.

"Yeah… Really starting to think there's no way out."

It's really a wonder how anyone is able to navigate around locked doors and broken floors…

"Fuck… Everything is starting to look the same…"

Full of twists and turns that one wrong turn could end with death… New puzzles around every corner; one must keep calm to solve the next problem…

"Yep. We are definitely lost."

Shimada-senpai stopped walking, his brows furrowed. His red locks cascaded around his troubled face, pale skin glinting in a slight sweat.

I stopped next to him, feeling dribbles of liquid trailing uncomfortable down my back. We were walking for a while now, with no sign that there was a way out. We had wandered into some open classrooms in hopes we could find another path or an open window but it was all the same; locked doors, doors without doorknobs, windows that were seemingly just for decorations… Thunder rumbled in the distance; tantalisingly close. It teased us with a way out we couldn't discover.

Nothing seemed to change, no matter how far we trekked from the infirmary. The hallway stayed the same, decaying paint and wood. The floors still had dusty planks that creaked beneath us, gaps opening up to swallow anyone who dared not watch their step. Locked doors and empty windows protruded from cracking frames. A black ceiling stared ominously down at us; it made me curious if there was a roof at all… Perhaps another floor? The air was dusty, filled with the scent of mould and mildew. Water dripped in the distance, accompanied with another low rumble of distant thunder.

I carefully blew a drawn breath out through my nose, quietly turning to my companion. His striking blue eyes were half-lidded with thought; staring at nothing in particular. His lips were pursed, his fingers twiddling absentmindedly. His eye twitched before he gave an exasperated sigh.

"Got any ideas?" he muttered after a period of silence.

I swallowed my breath, avoiding his gaze. There was nothing that I could see either that could aid in us in anyway. I suppose we could keep making sure we check every classroom, on the off chance that one lead to another hallway… The one we in was starting to feel claustrophobic despite its length.

"What about those ghosts you see? They warned you about some "impending doom" about the forest or whatever…" he suggested after I didn't answer.

My muscles locked in place as a wave of fear fluttered through my body. I've forgotten that happened, leaving a sense of sudden embarrassment. I could hear a voice at the back of my mind saying that I could be free by now if I hadn't listened to the ghost… That perhaps it was the school trying to keep us in here for good.

My memory flashed back to when Shimada-senpai and his friends found me… Back when we were a group of four; before Kirisaki-senpai ran off and Kizami-senpai lost it… I could still see the haunted look of the ghostly boy's eyes, forever implanted in my brain, the water forever dripping onto the rotting floor. I could hear the rain pound loudly, the thunder rumbling constantly. Maybe the boy was trying to warn us… Or maybe it _was_ really the school trying to convince us to stay…

My mind went further; I could still feel myself turn green with burning jealousy of Shimada-senpai flirting with Kirisaki-senpai. I could still feel the overwhelming urge to reach out and grasp his large, warm hand and never let go. Suddenly, I felt a sense of gladness wash over me. I was glad Kirisaki-senpai had run off, who's probably dead now. I'm pleased that Kizami-senpai went insane, on a killing streak of anyone else who's alive here. I'm _delighted_ that Katayama-senpai's dead and that we left Ohkawa-senpai to die. _I'm overjoyed we stayed in the school despite the fact we had the chance to escape it_ … I'm happy it's just me and Shimada-senpai alone, wandering aimlessly through the never-ending hallways… And the thought didn't sicken me as much as it should have. My stomach churned at that fact; the image of a silvery glint of the malicious weapon in the dim light filled my head.

"Could you stop fucking spacing out on me?"

My breath hitched as my stomach churned again. I felt ashamed that I could be thankful for such disgusting things. My blood ran cold as I began to start a cold sweat.

Senpai's tone changed, "You aren't going to be sick again, are you? You're looking a little pale…" He sounded a tad worried, if not annoyed with me.

I hastily shook my head no, swallowing forcefully. "No… I was just thinking…"

Shimada-senpai snorted hotly, "You're always thinking. Look, you can think all you want when we get out of here. You have to focus."

I took a shaky breath, trying to rid myself of the feelings I just felt. Senpai's right; I need to keep it together. I can't always rely on him or else he'll leave me behind as well. I need to hold my own; it was already difficult with my twisted ankle. I need to show that Senpai didn't make a mistake with keeping me around.

"Right… Erm, what did you ask me…?"

The redhead sighed, repeating himself, "I asked if you could see any ghosts to ask them where we should go… But fuck it. Let's just keep going. They'll just probably tell you something wrong anyway."

Senpai grabbed my hand, leading me onward without another word. Tension filled the air as his iron gripped crushed my wrist; urging me to bite my lip.

"I'm sorry…"

He made no acknowledgement of my petty apology, so I quickly shut my mouth.

We walked slowly – burdened by me and my stupid ankle. Creaking wood, timed steps and a limped hobble accompanied by the metronome thunder filled the stiff air. I sighed through my nose, trying to focus my attention on the world before me. I made it a habit to look down every hole we weaved around, somewhat expecting something different each time. I wasn't sure what I was expecting; perhaps the decaying corpse of an unlucky soul who also got trapped in here. Each void we passed offered little comfort; a dark abyss merely stared back at me. I felt my mouth go dry as I struggled to swallow, an overwhelming feeling of wanting to jump down one consumed me. I could feel my feet shuffle over to one.

"What is it with you and wanting to jump?" Shimada-senpai chastised, tugging harshly on my arm. It felt like he was trying to pull it from the socket. He growled at me, but said nothing more, keeping his iron grip on my hand as he kept me pinned to his side.

I bit my lip, breathing uneasy. The school was affecting me in ways I couldn't understand. Never have I ever felt such a need to willingly jump down holes even if I was certain they would lead to my death. Never have I ever willingly wished the deaths of others, no matter who they were. I could only wonder what Shimada-senpai was feeling, and suddenly I could understand how Kizami-senpai suddenly snapped.

I blinked, breaking out of my train of thought. Instead, I decided to focus on the moving world, the walls slowly passing by. It was weird there were no spirits here; I had grown accustomed to seeing them here. Now the halls seemed even more empty then they were before. It was dressed in a satin curtain of darkness; its perfume the mildew whilst its lipstick the dust. It was just so dark…

"Want to talk about something, Ghost-kohai?" Shimada-senpai asked dismissively. "The silence is starting to eat at me, so really either way I'm going to start talking."

I said nothing, silently agreeing with him. The sound of his voice was already becoming a solace in the eerie silence.

"It's so fuckin' dark here all of a sudden," the teen began. "And so fuckin' quiet… I don't like it…"

I nodded, a soft sound of confirmation passing my lips.

"I'm seriously questioning if we're going anywhere at all or if this is just some moving floor that makes it seem we're making progress…"

I started imagining the scene he mentioned in my head, wondering if that was possible. I played with the idea, watching myself and Senpai walk in place as the walls and floor just cycled itself, pretending we were actually moving. Was this really just some high-tech haunted house…? That couldn't explain the injuries and deaths if that was so… Unless it was a haunted place with intent to kill…

The board underneath me suddenly cracked loudly, splinters of it falling into the black below. I jolted, biting my lip again as I froze next to Shimada-senpai.

I could feel him turn to me; I didn't meet his gaze.

"Hmph… You bite your lip a lot…" he murmured hoarsely, his voice deep.

I immediately turned bright red, my heart fluttering violently. My stomach did a flip; his voice had permeated right through my body with a low rumble.

"If you keep doing that, it might be impossible for me _not_ to kiss you."

My body grew hotter with every word he said, sweat coating my skin with a light film. My stomach fluttered violently yet again with anticipation. Goosebumps coated my arms as a shiver ran down my spine.

Senpai chuckled deeply; I stole a look at his face. His lips were curled into a seductive smirk, his ice-blue eyes half-lidded and glazed over with a lustful hunger.

He suddenly murmured something in English, his eyes carefully grazing over my body. I barely caught what he said, but I did catch the same word he used earlier.

 _Kyut_.

I knew that word; I just couldn't pick up on it. My mind desperately raced to get an answer as I swallowed dryly.

None of this made sense; _he_ doesn't make sense. One minute Senpai will be growling profanity at me, then the next he's possibly _flirting_ with _me_. Was Senpai really flirting or am I just overreacting? Does he really feel something for me or is he just messing with my head? What does _"kyut"_ even mean? … Does biting my lip really make me kissable…?

"What the fuck…? _What the fuck_? What is that?"

Senpai thankfully broke me from my thoughts before they rain away from me farther. I blinked back into focus, my breath hitching just slightly, "What's what…?"

The model's free hand pointed down the hallway, "It looks like a blue flame or something…"

I squinted my eyes, trying to focus them down the dreary hallway. To my amazement, something blue did flicker at the end of the hall. Whatever it was, it was the calmest shade of blue I've ever seen. The orb reminded me of Shimada-senpai's eyes, but instead of the harsh, judgemental stare they always gave me, the blue was warm and soft.

I don't remember stopping to admire the light, but I found myself walking towards it without a second thought. Senpai followed just behind me, seemingly engrossed with the light as well.

We were both moths drawn to a light. With the darkness of the school closing in on us, our only salvation was that of the light at the end of a hall. It was if that light could scare away all of our troubles; keep us warm from the dampness of the school.

The gap between us and the light waned thin. The closer we got, the more apparent it became to me that the light was actually a figure; a ghostly apparition floating alone, completely covered by the calming blue aura.

It was strange; Shinohara-senpai and Suzumoto-senpai weren't doused in such light, nor have I recall anyone else for that matter.

"What is that anyway…" Senpai murmured softly.

I nearly bolted out of my skin at the sound of his low voice. That fast I got that someone was with me.

The closer we got, the more curious I became, wondering if Shimada-senpai could see the figure as well.

"Do… you see the figure as well?"

"Wait… That's… That's a figure…?" His voice wavered without his consent, his face paling just slightly. He seemed so curious about the light that it never occurred to him that it could be a ghost.

It dawned on me that Senpai probably never seen a ghost before. He never really explicitly mentioned before, just the off comment of corpses.

"What do you see?" I asked.

We weren't very far now, perhaps only two bus lengths away. The blue light was definitely a figure.

I could tell it was female, with gentle facial features and large doe eyes. She had long hair that flowed down her back, bangs gently brushing her face. I couldn't tell any colour due to the colouring of her aura, except that her hair was a darker shade of blue light than her skin. She died wearing what looked to be a school uniform; a blazer and pleated skirt evident.

"It's… hard to describe…" the redhead admitted slowly. "It's just… a ball of blue light. It almost looks like a flame but it's not… A wisp, I guess?"

I found it weird that I could see the full figure of the spirit while Shimada-senpai could only see a "wisp". I didn't want to think too much of it but my brain, as always, demanded an answer.

Was the ghost only allowing us to see what she wants us to see? Am I more sensitive to her than Shimada-senpai is? Is her wisp form just a concentrated form of her that everyone else can see while I can see her true form? _Why did I have to be different?_

" _Watch your step…_ "

I gasped, my walking ceased by an invisible force. My eyes bulged downward as I watched some broken planks fall into the abyss before. Just another half-step forward…

"Minoto-kohai!"

I turned around, my eyes meeting Shimada-senpai's pale face. His lips were slightly parted with fear, his blue eyes wide. He stood a few meters away from the figure that stood off to the side between us. His body was tense as his arms were lifted as if to reach out for me.

I hadn't realized he stopped…

" _This school is dangerous… It has a mind of its own, intent to kill…_ "

We both turned to the ghostly girl who was staring directly at me with tired eyes. Her arms were crossed as her brows were furrowed as if troubled.

" _You have to outsmart it… You have to think of ways outside the box…_ "

"Who are you?" I asked the ghost.

She ignored me, looking beyond me and over the gap.

I looked to where she was, noting that the gap I almost fell into expanded the width of the hallway. Just to my right was another hallway that lead to a dead end just 20 meters down.

Looking across the ridge, I could see something dimly sparkle in the distance.

"Shimada-senpai… Look…"

" _The school likes to play tricks… Something simple could require more thinking than just one thought…_ "

The ghost floated down next to me, folding her arms tighter. A touch of regret filled her face as she watched the twinkling object longingly.

"How did you die?"

The girl turned her head to me slowly, her eyes forever sad.

" _I tried to think outside the box… It just wasn't enough… I alone wasn't enough…_ "

I could hear Shimada-senpai's laboured breath behind me ear. A part of me realized that he could probably hear her as well; the shock not sitting well with him.

I was determined not to let him bother me, "Why are you blue?"

" _Blue forever doomed to warn the next of past mistakes… Red forever misled to inflict vengeance and suffering…_ "

I gave myself a brief moment to allow that to sink into my memory. It was clear it was a clue; I prayed that I wouldn't forget it.

Taking my chances, I pressed on. "Do you know if there's a way out?"

The ghost said nothing at first, unlike her responses before that came without a second beat. She seemed to contemplate on telling us; as if it were some guarded secret that she wasn't suppose to tell. Eventually the girl turned her head away from me.

" _ **There is no escape from Sachiko-sama...**_ "

Her voice was suddenly demonic, and before I had a chance to react, the ghost dove off the cliff. Her beautiful blue aura was quickly wiped away as she was swallowed into the abyss; a pit of liquid darkness.

I never had the chance to ask her who "Sachiko-sama" was.

There was an eerie silence left in her wake. No screams of tortured souls, no thunder clapping in the distance. I could barely hear the laboured breathing from Shimada-senpai. I half expected her to at least cry out from falling; whether it be from fear or pain. I almost expected to hear a thud of a body hitting another floor. No sound ever came.

I slowly turned to the redhead, who was leaning against the chipping wall. His face was pale, glistening with sweat. He trembled as he licked his lips, slowly blinking as if her could not believe his eyes.

"Insane classmates, I can handle. A stack of bones, I can handle. A fucking rotting corpse, I can fucking handle. A talking blue wisp? Fuck no I can't handle that."

I felt pity for him as he gripped his hair with his hands. I took a step forward, reaching my hand out to him. He suddenly bolted up, taking a quick step back with a wide-eyed expression. His mouth opened with a soundless cry. When it clued in to him that it was only me, his shoulders relaxed slightly, mouth closing.

"How…" was all he could muster.

"It's really not that bad once you get used to it…"

"Right, because seeing ghosts really isn't all that bad," he snorted sarcastically.

He pushed himself off the wall, trying to act as if nothing happened. Colour started returning to his face but his fingers still held a tremble. I watched his Adam's apple bobble before he licked his lips.

"Well, she gave us a hint on what to do."

"Which would be what, exactly."

I breathed in to calm myself; I had to remind myself that that was the first time Senpai came across a spirit like that. He was still shaken up by the fact that they were in fact real, and not some fairy tale. His calibrated stare calculated my movements.

"We have to solve a puzzle." Senpai opened his mouth in defiance, perhaps to add another sarcastic comment but I pressed on before he could continue. "There's something on the other side of the hole. I think we need to get it."

He silently cocked an eyebrow, having not seen the glistening object before. I pointed across the crevice, my head turning so I could watch the object from afar.

It was laid delicately on top of some rubble, as if someone deliberately put it there. It twinkled in the pale light, offering a silver lustre in the darkness. I couldn't tell what it was, but was very small.

"That. That's what we need? Why do we need it and how do we get it?"

I didn't know the answer to his questions; the spirit didn't explain that part. Separating us and the light was a wide gaping hole that spanned the width of the hallway. It had to be at least to be 10 meters, way too far for us to cross. There were no long, sturdy boards around for us to make a make-shift bridge, but even then it would be too risky.

I looked down the dead end to my right, noticing door frames protruding from walls. I didn't expect them to be any different but the first door on the left opened up without any resistance. It scraped again the rotting wood, kicking up some collected dust in its wake.

"Oh great, a door that opens." His tone was yet again sarcastic but his eyes twinkled in relief. "I swear if this leads to another dead end…"

I stepped into the dusty room, the model close on my heel. It was ransacked like the other classrooms we visited. Child-sized desks littered the broken floor. Debris of rock and wood was deposited in piles scattered throughout the room. On the right wall was a long chalkboard with characters still written on it, even if most of it got rubbed off. Windows spanned the length of the wall opposite of me, offering only a stagnant black that seeped from outside.

I stepped further into the room, careful not to disturb anything. My fingers just ghosted across the top of one of the still standing desks, dust collecting on the tips. Crayons were scattered down and around it; most of them were broken but the waxy utensils still offered more colour than anything else in here.

"I can't believe this place used to be an elementary school… There's still crayons in here."

Shimada-senpai said nothing; I could hear him step out from behind me and towards the chalkboard. I turned my head so I could see what he was doing. The male just stood in front of it, looking as if he was trying to read what the board said. I watched his red hair sway gently as he turned his head to the side, something catching his eye. I turned towards him to watch better; his fingers reached out to grasp a piece of paper that was tacked to the wall.

" _Heavenly Post_ …" Senpai read out slowly.

I walked over to him, my eyes squinting inquisitively. "What?"

"It looks like a newspaper article…" He pulled it off the wall with a quick rip. The two corners that were tacked ripped clean off, still pinned to the wall.

The model met me halfway in my trek over to him, straightening out the tattered article so we could both see.

"Some of its been damaged by water by the looks of it…" he observed slowly.

I only had a small glimpse of it before Senpai brought it closer to his face. It was definitely a news article though; _Heavenly Post_ written in large letters at the top. As he said, the paper was stained with water, dust collecting on it as well. The page looked like it was turning yellow due to its age.

"I think I can pick out what some of it says…"

His eyes squinted before he leaned back, putting the page at arms length before bringing it back to his face. He cleared his throat before starting.

"It reads… ' _Third Student Reported Missing'_ …

"' _One by one, the young students of Heavenly Host'_ …" he paused, staring at the page with intensity. He shook his head, "Can't read what that says… Anyway… _'The young students of Heavenly Host, whatever, School seem to be disappearing, as now a third has joined the ranks of the missing. Classmates testify that fifth-grader'_ …" another pause. "Again, can't read it… ' _testify that fifth-grader'_ Shitface ' _was on her way home from school, but got separated from her friends in the hall and hasn't been seen since. Police are investigating the possibility of a serial kidnapping and'…_ "

Senpai paused; I thought it was from utter shock of the paper but instead he coughed harshly into his elbow. It was a hard and dry one caused lack of water and an abundance of dust. He grimaced, obviously not liking the sound of it.

He continued, albeit his voice a bit hoarser than before, "… ' _serial kidnapping and have assigned countless investigators to the case in hopes of a speedy resolution. However, ten days have already passed since the first disappearance, giving parents and classmates ample cause of concern.'"_

The air was heavy between us after his voice ceased to echo in the quiet room. Senpai slowly turned the page in his hands, looking for more. His face was unreadable, but I could only imagine what was going through his mind.

Three kidnappings? In 10 days nonetheless… Who could even dare to kidnap _children_ from school? Or children at all?

I decided not to tell Shimada-senpai I actually remember my ghostly mom mentioned this school before I got here.

"I suppose this is the school mentioned in the article… Explains why it was shut down."

I swallowed harshly, feeling the familiar feeling of a dry mouth. "Is there any more articles there?"

The male swiftly turned around, scanning the wall for any other paper that could explain more on what was happening. He shook his head no in defeat, his hair brushing against his back.

I nodded slowly, trying to think clearly. It bothered me that children were kidnapped from the school… What bothered me even more was the figures that brought me here… They were distinctly three children… Did they have something to do with the newspaper? Was this school doomed to forever trap young souls for pleasure…?

"Didn't we have some 'outsmarting the school' shit to do?"

I blinked, bringing my thoughts back on the present. "Right… There's a door over there," I said, pointing at it. It was at the opposite end of the room now. "Hopefully it leads to the other side of the crevice."

Nothing more was said. Senpai just followed quietly behind me as we travelled through the maze of rubble and chairs. The way they were piled made it impossible to go through most of the room unless we wanted to move the desks ourselves, but that could be unsafe. The wood cracked under our weight as it is; moving the debris could only agitate it further.

When I reached out to slide open the door, it moved without hesitation. I felt a wave of satisfaction and relief wash over me. We were actually _going_ somewhere that isn't just walking down a hallway. Things were actually starting to work right.

I stepped through the doorway, Senpai close behind me. A door-frame sat on the other side of the hall, but it looked like it was there for mere decorations. As I was hoping, we were now on the other side of the hole, the classroom our gateway around it. I immediately went towards the edge only to be stopped by Shimada-senpai's sudden hand on my shoulder.

"Hold on now, Ghost-kohai. I am banning you from being near anything that you could fall into. You are an accident waiting to happen."

Before I could argue, Senpai brushed passed me and towards the lip of the void. He looked around at his feet, raising and eyebrow. "What am I looking for again?"

"Uh… Something shiny. Check around the pile over to your left…"

Senpai looked around the piles, even going as far as sifting through the rubble. I stood back a bit, craning my head to see if it fell behind something.

" _Fuck!_ Where the fuck did it go?!"

Something on the other side caught my attention, earning a silent gasp from my lips. The same twinkling light that was on this side was now on the other side of the hole, sitting undisturbed on another pile of rubble.

"Senpai…"

He looked up from the ground, brows furrowed in frustration. I could only point at the object, watching him turn around on confusion before letting out a curse of English curse words.

"I thought you said it was on this side, Kohai…" he growled dangerously low, turning slowly towards me.

Every nerve in my body told me to run. This was it; Shimada-senpai had finally gone insane as well. I squeezed my eyes shut as I froze in place. Even if I wanted to run I couldn't –

I felt something wrap around my wrist harshly, dragging me back into the classroom. Shimada-senpai stomped in front of me, mumbling under his breath, "You are a waste of my fuckin' time, Kohai… _Good thing you're of us-…_ "

I couldn't catch the rest of what he said, having switched to English in his rage. He led me back through the maze of table and chairs, coming out on the other side. He let me go so he could grab the shining object but…

"Wait. It _was_ just here. I'm sure it was…"

I looked at the spot where I swore I saw it as well, finding there was no distinctive sparkle. Low and behold, however, it was back in its original spot on the other side of the gap.

"How. How is this even _fucking_ possible?"

"Um… Shimada-senpai…"

He ignored his name, rather taking my hand again to lead me back through the classroom. I sighed out loudly; if I was correct, then doing this wasn't going to work.

"Why is this doing this."

We got out on the other side, and unsurprisingly, the light was back on the other pile of rubble. Senpai looked as if her was about to have a panic attack, his face flustered with sweat trickling down his cheek bone. I cleared my throat, earning a terrifying stare from the older teen.

"We need to think outside the box," I stated slowly, thinking back to the ghost we saw.

"Oh great. Like that's going to help, Kohai. There is no thinking outside the box with this! We can't get the damned fucking key!"

"Oh calm down, would you!" I snapped.

Shimada-senpai blinked, his mouth open as if he had more to say. He just stared at me as if I had 10 heads, but it got him to stop talking.

"Look, the conventional way of us _both_ going to one side to grab the object is obviously not working. So, we need to think out side of that."

Senpai merely blinked before his eyebrows furrowed down in frustration. "How – "

"Would you please let me finish."

I watched his lips form soundless words, completely confused with my change of attitude. I felt like tapping my foot to my waning patience.

"Thank you. Anyway, like I was going to say… In order to get the object, we should try to leave one person on one side while the other goes to the other side. That way, if the object somehow decides to jump again, we'll be able to corner it."

"I…"

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. My patience was wearing thin; I guess I should have more patience with him though. It has to be a lot to take in all at once; being warped to a haunted school that kills, a classmate going insane, seeing and hearing a departed spirit…

"Just stay here and watch the light… I'll go grab it."

"Wait no, you stay here," he denied defiantly. "I'll go grab it."

"Why does it matter…" I almost whined. I was getting tired of this already; I just wanted to get out of here and lay on my bed, as if we never spent a while in a bed ourselves.

"So you don't have to walk on your foot any more than you have to…"

It was almost as if we switched personalities. Suddenly I was calling the shots while Senpai was the meeker follower. I was the bold leader who knew what to do while Senpai was the tag-along that made everything harder. He wasn't just making sure I wasn't going to die from falling to my doom, but he was actually going out of his way to make sure I didn't hurt myself more…

"Just stay here and don't wander off… Stay away from the ledge and don't take your eyes off that stupid light." His tone was soft, as if he was talking to a small child. His voice changed light at the last warning, but his eyes still held that unnaturally soft gleam in them.

He slowly backed away from my, quietly turning to disappear into the room. I turned my attention to the bickering light, praying that I was right. I heard shuffling in the classroom, assuming that it was Shimada-senpai making his way over.

Though I was given explicit instructions on not wandering off, Senpai mentioned nothing about my mind wandering as it began to run away from me.

I couldn't help but wonder what triggered my sudden outburst. I felt embarrassed; how could I face Shimada-senpai again knowing I did that to him? What will he think of me now that I said that? What was causing the light to move anyway? Was the school really just playing with us? Who was that girl anyway, and why did she jump…?

The object hadn't moved from the other side. I puffed my cheeks, starting to grow curious; what was taking him so long? Did he stop to check something? Did something bad happen? Is he okay?

"Shimada-senpai…?"

When I got no response I got worry. He still hadn't emerged on the other side. I began to fear the worse when I heard distinctive stumbling from across the crevice, the figure of the redhead coming into view. He looked back over to me, giving a slight nod before he looked to the rubble where the object didn't move.

He picked it up, his face twisted in confusion before he turned back to go into the classroom. I met him halfway, "What was it?"

He held out the object in the palm of his hand. A small, rusted key rested against his skin. It was remarkably clean despite the surroundings we found it in. The bow of the key was circular and smooth, shiny from repeated use. The stem was only a thin piece of round metal that protruded teeth near the tip. It looked pretty old; not the more simplistic design of today.

"A key. All of that for a key."

I could hear the bitterness in his voice, but I tried to lighten the mood. "Well, at least we have it now. I'm sure it'll unlock a door that leads somewhere, especially after all the work of getting it."

"It better…" he grumbled, pocketing the small, iron key.

We walked out to where I originally waited for him, silence enveloping us. We stood there at the frame for a second before I spoke up, "Maybe we should try that other hallway first…"

"It's a dead end. I already checked."

The comment was dismissive, but I couldn't help but shiver. Senpai never said he was going to check that hallway… What if he really did find another passage? Would he just leave me there so he could go off and survive without being burdened…?

"Come on, let's get going already."

I followed his lead down into the dreary hallway. Our footsteps almost in sync if not for my limp. Senpai's left hand was in his pocket, seemingly fiddling with the key. His right hand was swaying back and forth at his side.

"I… I think I know why the ghost girl jumped…" I murmured softly, more to myself.

"Hm?"

I looked up at Shimada-senpai who was focused on the world ahead.

"She tried to get the key herself but it was just her… So she thought of thinking outside the box - which was for her to jump across… She never made it."

The redhead gave a shallow nod, allowing my guess to sink in. "Makes sense."

That's why she jumped. She's forever doomed to repeat her mistakes, to warn the person that would happen to come across her. It left me wondering if that's what she meant when she spoke of the colours… Blue forever doomed, and red forever misled… If she's a blue spirit, then I don't want to meet a red spirit by the sounds of it…

It begged the question though; who was Sachiko-sama? Was she one of the missing children? Was she the mastermind behind the school? What did she mean there was no escape from Sachiko-sama…?

We travelled in silence once more, my thoughts thankfully dying down. I felt my fingers twitch, wanting something to hold. I couldn't help but stare at Shimada-senpai's empty palm. What would he do if I…?

Without my permission, my hand reached out to it. My chilled fingers slowly encapsulated his wrist. Shimada-senpai said nothing, just looking back at me inquisitively. I only stared back up at him, my green eyes meeting his blue ones. He looked away without sound; instead he slid his hand around my own, his fingers warming my skin.

My stomach did a flip out of joy.

* * *

 **I have to say I really adore their interactions...**

 **I don't know if I mentioned in the past, but 90% of Kai's dialogue, when it's in italics, is him actually speaking English. Like him saying " _What the fuck?"_ is in English. Aika understands some of it, especially his cursing, but the rest is foreign.**

 **And I'm sorry this took so much time to get out... It wasn't my intention; both this and chapter 6 have been written for a while xD But chapter 6 won't be seen until I get chapter 7 written, then chapter 7 won't be seen until 8 is done, and so on. I think that'll be my system.**


	6. Chapter 6

**According to my doc manager, it's been 90 days exactly since I lasted edited the fifth chapter. Like, the count down is literally at 0. What a great way to spend a 90 day anniversary!**

 **So I'm sorry for my absence. University got tough last semester and I got Corpse Party BloodCovered for my 3DS for Christmas so I finished that and I'm using that as a guide for the story... I just need to get Book of Shadows for my brother's PS Vita.**

 **I'm posting this because it's long overdue. I mentioned I like to have the next chapter done before I post the current chapter... Which is how I normally do it. It's currently almost 1A.M and I've been typing chapter 7 for literally hours... its going to be a big chapter. I've had this one posted since before last year (sorry!)**

 **In the meanwhile, I'm posting this just to give you something... So love me**

 **Warning: This is an M rated fic. Blood and gore is going to happen... eventually.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Corpse Party. I only own Aika who is my own character. And I should mention again, it's late, my eyes are burning. If I messed up any grammar or spelling and such, I'm sorry. I'm trying my best, you grammar Nazi.**

* * *

We thought that the dangers of the school were the school itself… Being eaten away by time, decaying like the corpses that are trapped within…

"I wonder what the entire point of this key was… I mean, after all that work?"

It never occurred that something _else_ supernatural was the cause of the deaths… The cause of corrupting innocent psyches then turning them into vengeance souls…

"I'm sure that it'll fit a door somewhere, Senpai…"

Never have we thought there could be such a terrible evil, manifesting in such a sickeningly innocent form…

"You better be right, Kouhai… I'm really sick of this damned hallway."

I couldn't help but silently agree with him. Aside from the mishap with getting the key, the hallway we've been walking down has been one long tunnel. There were no twists or turns in the walls; just in the floors from decay. There was the same smell, same sights. Nothing was different, no matter how far we walked. It was a wonder why a school was laid out like this… It would take forever to get anywhere.

"Maybe we went the wrong way…"

The thought never occurred to me; for all we knew, we were heading completely the opposite direction of the exit. We could be walking away from our only freedom because we didn't know which was freedom was. We could be walking forever in one direction because of the hope that the door was just beyond the dark fog…

"Let's… just go this way a little longer." Shimada-senpai sounded unsure of himself. He was also doubting we were going the wrong, his face paling as he quickly looked over his shoulder. His hand squeezed mine unconsciously.

"What if… What if there is no way out…?"

I hit the elephant in the room. We both knew it was a possibility but kept quiet about it in fear of jinxing it. It was a real possibility that there is no way out; neither of us know definitively how we got here in the first place. We might be forever doomed to stalk this hallway until we keel over and join our brethren on the floor to be forever forgotten about.

"Oh, shut it, Kouhai. Stop putting those stupid doubts in your head. We got in, we can get out."

I bit my lip, realizing he was saying it to himself just as much as he was to me. It was a terrifying thought that we're both slowly giving hope. It was a dangerous thing; both having hope and giving up hope. It could drive you to keep going, but keep going in the wrong direction. It could make you stop going forward, but the end could be just out of sight.

"What if… What if that door _was_ the only way out…?"

I felt his eyes study me carefully. He said nothing at first; perhaps running the idea through his head. It was me who stopped him from walking through those doors. He could be free if it weren't for me; on his way back home to get help. Maybe he wouldn't have gotten help… He'd probably go home and just forget about everyone… When asked about what happen, he'd keep a tight lip; why should he care? What did we ever do for him anyway…?

"Who's to say that was the only way out? Besides, it was raining out, and I'm sure being lost in a dry, haunted school weighs out being lost in a wet, dense forest."

I bit my lip again; I didn't want to feel tears prick my eyes. I did my best to ignore them. I was tired of crying; I nodded silently as I kept my eyes trained forward. He didn't blame me for keeping in here. In fact, it sounded like he was _glad_ that he stayed, which was a weird thing to think.

"What did I tell you about biting your lip?" Senpai chastised, trying to lighten up the mood. "You _really_ like teasing me, don't you?"

"I…"

His flirtatious smile was back on his lips, a mischievous glint in his eyes. I had to commend him for trying to act as if nothing was wrong right now. That he wasn't in a haunted school full of bones of students, all the while his only company was a girl who could see ghosts. I could only wish to have the strength to act so _normal_ in a situation like him.

I bit my lip harder.

I don't know what happened next, but suddenly I was pinned against the wall. A large force suddenly hit me, effectively pressing me against the wall. I gasped, a dull throb of pain radiating from my back from the collision. My eyes widened as I looked up at my captor.

Shimada-senpai's body towered over mine, but unlike before he was trapping me there like prey, not protecting me. His lips were slightly parted, his wintergreen breath hitting my face. His eyes were half-lidded and stormy; he watched me through the eyes of a hungry predator. I felt his body push against mine, using his weight to keep me there.

"What did I tell you…?" he murmured huskily, the corners of his mouth curling up.

It took all my willpower not to bit my bottom lip again. A part of me wanted to test him; would he kiss me if I did? Or would he chicken out seeming that it is me.

I felt his right hand shift, slowly reaching towards my face. He gently caressed it, the tips of his fingers trailing down my jaw. His lips moved with soundless words passing over them, just slight and subtle. He suddenly stopped, smirking as if content with what he was thinking.

My entire body was hot. I could feel his body heat radiate against me. Sweat trickled down my back, being absorbed by my shirt. My knees felt weak; threatening to crumble underneath me. I clenched and unclenched my fingers, trying to ignore the warm pooling in my stomach.

Never have I ever wanted something to happen so much before. I wanted Shimada-senpai to lean down and capture my lips with his own. I wanted him to slowly move his lips against mine, trying to taste every little bit I had to offer. I wanted to wrap my arms around his neck to deepen the kiss, to push against his own force.

Knowing full-well what I was tempting, I bit my lip.

At first, it didn't seem to register with him. His eyes merely traced over my face before he noticed what I was doing. There was a brief pause before his eyebrows crossed, a scowl passing his lips. His eyes flickered to my lips, then to my eyes, as if searching for something. Then, without warning, he moved in.

He was rough. His lips captured mine as if he was an animal who hadn't eaten in months and I was fresh meat. They moved against mine aggressively, but it lacked passion. He felt so warm against me but his kiss felt cold.

I hardly registered anything. I merely stood there, taking what he had to offer. My eyes were wide, surprised that he took the bait. His were also open, blue orbs cold and analytic towards me. For a moment, I thought: aren't they supposed to be closed?

The kiss seemed to last forever, but he broke it off too soon. He stood there, face just barely inches away from mine before he pulled away without another word. He backed away from me, his eyes unchanging; still ever-so cold. My knees wobbled as I used the wall to support my weight, panting just barely through my lips.

"Come on, Ghost-kouhai, we need to find the way out, remember? No standing around, gasping like a fish out of water."

I gulped audibly, my eyes unable to meet his stare. He had a blank look on his face, if not bored.

I weakly pushed myself off the wall, shyly looking up at him. He had already turned away and started to walk down the way we were headed, seemingly unaffected by the kiss.

I slowly trailed behind, my thoughts a whirlwind of emotions. I hesitantly touched my bruising lips, wondering if all kisses were suppose to feel heartless.

It wasn't long after the kiss mishap that we finally came to the end of the hall. Unfortunately, to our disappointment, the doors held no sign that it was the exit. They were rather plain, not much different that anything else in the school so far but they were push-pull doors, and not the traditional sliding ones we've seen.

Shimada-senpai said no comment, just walked up to the doors. He looked around it, examining the rotting wood.

He's been silence ever since he kissed me… I guess he regrets ever telling me that it was tempting to kiss me if I bit my lip. He was lying the entire time, wasn't he? He only did it out of spite then; he knew I was trying him.

"Hey, Kouhai. I think this door's real."

I blinked, slowly taking a step forward. I eyed him confused, "Well, yeah… It is."

"No, I mean one that'll open you idiot," he snapped.

"Oh."

There was tension boiling between us. I kept my mouth shut as Senpai tried to open the door. The knob jiggled, but didn't turn.

"You've got to be fucking _kidding_ me."

"Shimada-senpai…"

He tried again, this time more furious. The knob jiggled useless, echoing down the empty hallway.

"Why isn't this door working…?" he growled into the air.

"We have a key, don't we…?" I reminded him softly.

He groaned, sighing softly as if he was kicking himself. Senpai pulled the key we found early from out of his pocket, twirling the key in his fingers. He smirked to himself, flicking the key into the air before going towards the door.

"Don't drop the key…"

"I'm not going to –" the model suddenly stopped himself. He didn't continue his sentence, instead quickly slotting the key into the keyhole.

"Well… Just be careful then… We don't want to break it…"

He twisted his wrist, the sweet sound of the doorknob unlocking filled the air. That was quickly followed by the bitter snapping of the key.

" _Fuck_!" Senpai's English curse word spat out.

I felt a little piece of my die with the second sound. My heart snapped just as the old key broke in the door. I thought it was the end; the door won't open now that the key broke. We'll be stuck in here because we couldn't get passed a stupid locked door. Freedom was perhaps just on the other side of this stupid thing, forever hidden from us now.

"I told you to be careful!"

Senpai quickly turned on his heels, dark eyes glaring daggers at me. "It's not like I intentionally did it, you idiot!"

I felt something boil inside me. It wasn't happiness or despair, but unadulterated rage. I felt my blood boil as my skin burned. My teeth gritted as I returned his glare with equal intensity. Something was whispering soft words into my ears… I couldn't tell what it was. Something cold glided against my neck but I dismissed it. I was starting to see red.

"I'm _sure_ you didn't do it, Shimada- _senpai_. Who else would be so reckless to destroy what could've been our only chance to get out of here?"

"Minoto-kouhai…"

"Why did I ever believe to _think_ that you were capable of not ruining such a simple task? All _you_ care about is yourself! Do you even feel guilty about leaving Ohkawa-senpai behind?"

"Minoto-kouhai!" Shimada-senpai tried again. He was starting to sound worried, his face twisted in shock. He was about to say something else but I quickly interrupted him.

"What, you can't handle a girl who's able to stand her own? Did you _really_ think I'll stay your docile little kouhai forever?"

There was so much red. I could hardly think straight now; my mind was filled with the colour red. I felt something whispering in my ear more, edging me on. It was convincing me to let it all go; to let Shimada-senpai suffer my wrath.

I didn't register him moving towards me until I felt an icy grasp on my wrist, roughly tugging me towards him. I collided with his chest, a sudden rush of icy-cold chills rushing over my body. I took a shaky gasp, my breathing suddenly easier. I felt one arm wrap around my back, slowly walking me towards the door.

"S-Senpai…" I whispered.

The rage I felt died. I was left exhausted and confused. I didn't know where it came from; yes, I was angry at him, but never have I thought I would have the guts to say stuff like that. My heart was still beating rapidly from the rush of adrenaline that pumped through my veins.

Shimada-senpai was tense against me. He slowly backed up, his grip on me never ceasing. It was like he was backing away from something dangerous.

"Minoto-kouhai…" His voice was quiet and low. He didn't look down at me, instead keeping his head trained forward. His voice trembled only slightly; it sounded angry though. If anything, he was scared.

I twisted in his grasp, curious on what he was looking at. He seemed reluctant, his grip still strong. I was only able to twist my upper torso, giving a sideways glace at what he was staring at.

Just barely in my field of view was a red shape. I couldn't tell what it was; I tried to twist more to get a better view to no avail. Whatever it was, it was on the cusp of the dark haze that plagued the halls.

"She was there when I turned around… She was behind you… Sh-She…"

I blinked, turning away from her and looking back at him. He was starting pale, his jaw locking in place. His eyes flickered rapidly, looking for a way to escape.

I took his distraction to twist in his arms completely. He quickly tightened his arm around my waist, effectively trapping me close to his slightly trembling form but I was facing forward now.

True to his word, a small, feminine figure was the true form of the red blob. She was wearing a red, plain dress that hung loosely off her tiny form. Her arms dangled limply by her side, her log, black hair covering her face. Her skin was unnaturally pale; the dress showing off her skinny pale legs. Something silver glinted in her hand.

"She had a pair of scissors… To your throat."

A shiver went down my spine. I felt like I was going to be sick.

"She's probably dangerous…"

"You think?" Shimada-senpai snapped, but his voice cracked. He was starting to panic but trying hard not to show it.

I said nothing, training my eyes on the figure. She wasn't moving, which was probably a good thing… Unless she was thinking of a plan on how to attack us.

"Do…You think we can bust down the door…?"

"The fuckin' key broke Kouhai… How are we supposed to do that?"

"We can…"

The girl took a slow step forward.

"Okay look, we don't have much of a choice, do we?"

He nodded silently, letting me go so we could try the door again. I looked behind me as I gently placed my palms on the wood, noting the girl's head was now tilted sideways, curious what fruitless task we were trying to accomplish.

Shimada-senpai tried kicking the wood, the sound of his foot smacking the door reverberating down the hall. The girl took two steps closer.

He kicked it again, near the doorknob like a firefighter would. There was a low crack, but nothing else gave.

"This isn't working…!"

I body slammed the door, ignoring the blunt pain it brought to me. Unlike Shimada-senpai's second kick, no sound was offered. I did it again, looking behind me to see the girl was now half the distance she originally was. She was in the process of raising her scissors to her face, aimed to pierce.

My stomach clenched uncomfortably.

"Try again."

I tried to keep my voice calm. There was no use panicking; who knows, maybe she's actually nice? My every instinct told me to get far away from her; I didn't exactly want to stick around and have a chat with her.

He did it again but with significantly less force. While there was adrenaline pumping through his veins, it was obvious he was getting tired, and he wasn't focusing as much. He seemed too preoccupied with watching the girl make two steps closer.

"Senpai."

His vision flickered to me, sweat collecting on his face. His lips were partly opened and was beginning to chap. He licked them, his eyes flickering to the girl briefly before coming back to me.

"Focus…" I urged him. "Ignore her; let me handle her. I need you to put everything you got into the kick."

He nodded silently, backing up a few steps. He peered over his shoulder before he shook his head, nodding again to me for confirmation. He put his weight behind his next kick, another crack, but still no give.

His shoulders drooped in defeat, a soft whine passing his lips. His face twisted in despair as he tried again, and again to kick the door down. These kicks were seemingly doing nothing.

"Shimada-senpai! Stop before you tire yourself out!"

"It's useless Kouhai…" Senpai leaned against the wall, his legs trembling. "We're gunna die from a stupid ghost…"

The girl was only ten steps away. It struck me odd that she wasn't charging at us right away, instead favouring in letting us scurry around like mice, looking for a way out. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. I needed to be calm.

Nine steps.

"Help me push the door… Something's obviously snapped in it but you can't kick it anymore."

His blue eyes stared at me helplessly but he moved against the door next to me. The closer he got, the more helpless I started to feel as well. It felt like some sort of aura was radiating off of him, infecting us both with hopelessness.

I did my best to ignore it.

Eight steps.

"On three we charge the door, okay?" My voice did a tremendous job not wavering, offering a bit of peace to the redhead.

"Okay…"

Seven steps.

We backed up, careful not to close the gap between us and the ghost too much. I tried to ignore the fact that she could easily kill us now if she wanted to.

"One… two…"

Six steps.

"Three!"

I felt Shimada-senpai's body move with mine as we rushed the door. There was a loud groan, the wood moving underneath our bodies. I felt it give a bit, but it still wasn't enough.

Five.

I looked behind my shoulder, gulping audibly as the girl just stared back at us. Her black hair was parted, offering a slim view of her pale face. Her eyes were dark voids of emptiness, more terrifying than the holes in the floor. Her dress was in tatters, rips dotting the fabric. Her scissors were poised to attack; they were held in a lazy grip but it was obvious she wasn't playing around.

Four.

"It's not fuckin' use, Kouhai… We can't escape…"

"Senpai…"

Darkness seemed to flicker around him. His eyes were sunken, the icy-blue orbs covered with a dark glaze.

"Just go… I'll distract her, alright? You run off while I keep her distracted."

Three.

I was ready to slap him. He was giving himself up already; even willing to sacrifice himself so he could escape this damned school in death. Not on my watch.

"One more time," I demanded. "Put everything you got into it."

Shimada-senpai was very reluctant, his feet shuffling underneath him. He didn't seem to be worried about her anymore, instead ready to accept his fate.

Two.

We didn't have as much room to back up this time. The girl didn't seem to make any move to grab us while we were so close, instead amused by what we were trying to accomplish.

I grabbed Shimada-senpai's hand. He remained motionless for a second before registering my action, clutching onto it like a lifeline. "One."

"Two…"

One step away.

"Three!"

We collided with the door; a sickening, crack echoing through the hall. My heart leaped; we did it! All we needed to do was run away from her now. We just had to hope that she couldn't run too fast…

I didn't have a chance to sing out in relief before we the door gave out beneath us. We didn't have a chance to regain our balance, toppling down with the door.

I expected to crash into the floor on the other side but nothing saved us. Instead, we continued to fall into the abyss. My breath was taken from me as wind whipped around me, throwing my hair into a wild tumbleweed of tangles.

Zero.

I cried out, trying to find Shimada-senpai but I couldn't. I couldn't even see my own hand in front of my face as I fell. I wanted to panic. I tried to cry again but my voice made no sound. I tried to reach out, looking for him but I couldn't feel him. I tried to listen for him but all I could hear was the wind whipping passed my ears.

There was an eerie light coming from the doorway we fell from, the silhouette of the girl was peering down at me, watching me fall.

And fall I did.

 _Got you…_

* * *

I don't remember passing out, but that seems to be becoming a habit of mine.

It wasn't safe always being knocked unconscious here, even if it weren't my own fault. I needed to stay focus… I needed to get up.

I felt a soft groan pass through my lips. My back felt sore from the landing that inevitably happened. For a second, my thought was that I broke it. I tried to get up, but a shot of pain shot down it. I heart swelled with fear; I tried again. This time my body responded to me as I could move. It was just sore, not broken.

I gave a shaky sigh of relief. I was already burdened by my ankle; a broken back was a death wish here.

I opened my eyes, sleep caking the corners. My eyelids didn't want to open for me; they felt like heavy sheets of lead. I gave another groan, forcing them open against their will.

I couldn't see very well. It was still dark. I didn't fall into a field of flowers, with the wind whispering me a sweet melody. I wasn't being caressed softly by the green glass blades, licking and tickling my skin. I was still in this dusty old school… The dust collecting on my lungs; the splintered wood leaving gashes on my skin.

I attempted to sit up; my attempts were met with a dangerous amount of dizziness. My vision flickered with black spots, warning me that this was not a good idea.

I must have a concussion.

Letting that sink in, I opened my chapped lips. My mouth was dry from lack of water; my throat a scorching desert.

"Shi… Shimada-senpai?"

My voice was sandpaper; nails on a chalkboard. I listened carefully, hopeful to hear his deep voice complaining I sound hideous. I listened for the sound of his subtle breath against the silence of the school. I tried to remember the sound of his thudding heart beneath my ear, wishing it was there again. I wanted to hear the of his stupid voice, making my body feel ways I've never thought possibly.

I tried to lift my head, trying to see if I could see the mop of messy red hair. I wanted to see his cold eyes again, whether they are glaring at me with carelessness or gazing at me with worry. I wanted to see the way the light up when he came up with an idea or thought. I wanted to see his silly smirk that liked to play his lips every time he thought of something amusing. I wanted to see the way his hair fell perfectly into place, a strand out of place was never out of place. I wanted to see the way his cheeks lit up every time he did something embarrassing.

"Senpai…?"

My voice fell on deaf ears. Nothing stirred; there was no movement, no subtle breathing, no annoyed complaining. There was nothing.

Tears didn't even prick my ears this time. My mouth felt drier than it was before as the possible realization hit me.

He was either one of two things; dead or gone.

Maybe he didn't fall down the hole with me, instead allowed himself to get captured by the ghost. Maybe he did fall with me and just landed the wrong way. I might've landed just right that all I have is a bruised back… perhaps he broke his neck, crack his skull even.

I didn't want to get up in fear of finding his dead body, decaying like the rest of the school. I didn't want to see his crystal eyes forever staring blankly at the cruel world, blood dripping out of places that it wasn't suppose to. I didn't want to see maggots crawling out of his ears, his clothes laying in tatters. I didn't want to see his limbs twisted at unnatural angles, I didn't want to see his hair matted down with blood.

I didn't want to see any of it but my brain forced me to.

I tried to force the image out of my head, instead focusing on the other real possibility; he's gone.

He probably woke up before me, noticing that I was still unconscious. Maybe he thought I was dead so he left me here to rot. Or perhaps he didn't want to be lagged down by me again… Maybe something started chasing him again, like Kizami-senpai or the girl, causing him to leave me. Maybe he went to find some drinking water for us, and was planning on returning…

Or maybe he just left because he could.

I forced myself to sit up now. I refused to listen to my burning nerves, screaming at me to stop moving. I moved my arms to prop myself up, another spike of pain going down my back.

I blinked a few times, my vision flickering with black spots and dizzy spells. I felt my stomach clench with queasiness, but I swallowed dryly to combat it. I brought one hand to rub my eyes, trying to soothe the pain.

I blinked, slowly bringing the hand down. I was leaning heavily on my other arm, my legs sprawled out before me. Shallow cuts dotted the exposed skin, but my socks took most of the trauma with slashes throughout the cotton. My skirt was still remarkably in tact, the most damage being dirt.

I looked around myself, slightly confused why there was no crater where I sat. I don't remember landing, but I don't remember being moved either. Unless someone picked me up and placed me somewhere else… but who would?

I trained my eyes to look around the dark room, realizing that it was, in fact, a room, and not a hallway. It was small though, too small to be a classroom. There was no sign of furniture of any type; there wasn't even a window. The only thing else that was in the room was the opened door that lead down another hallway.

I swallowed again, trying not to wish for water. I moved to get to my feet but I heard creaking outside the door. I froze in spot, my heart stopping from the sudden break in the silence. My eyes flickered back to the opening, realizing there was a figure standing there.

Shimada-senpai leaned heavily against the frame as if for support. He had one arm clutching his stomach, the other slack at his side. He looked just as dusty as I did, gashes covering his shirt and a few in his trousers. His arms had small red lines, indicating minor scratches. His face was pale, his eyes tired but back to being the shade of blue there were supposed to be. No black smoke surrounded him.

"Sen-Senpai…" I croaked.

He smirked, nodding at me slowly. "You sound worse than a dying possum…"

I felt myself wince, his voice was just as hoarse and raw as mine. His deep voice was replaced with a hoarse, broken whisper. He smiled sheepishly at the sound of his voice.

I didn't say anything, blinking twice to make sure he was there. I almost convinced myself he would leave.

He looked back at me for a moment, slightly confused why I was just gawking at him. Then an idea hit him, "Oh uh… I went to s-see if there was any water anywhere…"

It was strange, hearing the ever-perfect Shimada-senpai reduced to a croaking mess from lack of water. His voice wavered from the rawness of his throat; he was hesitant on saying much else.

"I… thought you left…"

He rolled his eyes; not playful just fully annoyed. He snorted, his nostrils flaring. He said nothing more, instead choosing to walk over to me. His pace was slow and methodical; as if trying to avoid a recent injury. The arm that was clutching his torso never loosened its grip.

He approached me, holding out his good hand. He watched me lazily, chapped lips sewn shut. He beckoned me to grab it with a nod of his head after I didn't grab it right away.

I reached out to meet his arm, feeling my stiff muscles crying out with relief from being stretched. His warm fingers laced with my own cold ones. I started to lift my body up, using his arm as a leverage. He grunted in response, pulling me up. Pain shot done my back, a pained flinch crossing my face.

I stumbled when I got to my feet, crashing into Shimada-senpai. He let out a breathless gasp, his breath hitching.

"Watch the fuckin' ribs… I think they're bruised or something…" he muttered through the pain.

I tried to issue an apology but only a squeak came out. I grimaced; this wasn't good. We needed to find water before we died of dehydration. Then we'd need to worry about food, too. I haven't seen anything edible; no rats, bats, not even insects. The only thing here was…

"Think we should get you some water, Kouhai… You don't sound so cute when your throat is sandpaper…"

"Like you sound any better…" I managed to rasp out.

He gave me a laugh. It was hard to listen to; a series of wheezing accompanied by a few coughs. But it was a laugh nonetheless; one caused by me. I could feel all the tension and pain he was holding inside loosen its grip on him if only just lightly. I could hear the weariness plaguing his body leave if only just.

I smiled, my dry lips almost cracking at the gesture.

* * *

 **Whilst going through this and editing, I forgot that _event_ , you know, that one intimate moment between our characters happened. I went "Oh shit right that happened." Guess I gotta add more stuff like that, eh? (Don't worry. I'm actually getting this all planned on how and why. So don't worry. Okay?)**

 **Anyway, hope you enjoyed and you'll stay tuned even if I disappear for a few months... Aikai, or Kaika, however you want it, is always in my heart and mind... just not always on my paper.**

 **Well, see you next chapter!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Okay. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. This isn't all of what was planned to be Chapter 7. At the 6,700 mark (6,704 words to be exact), I go to my best friend and number one fan and goes, "Yeah there is way too much here..."**

 **So I'll finish chapter 7 in chapter 8!**

 **Also, there is a _very important note regarding the future of this story at the bottom of this chapter_. I urge you greatly to read it. If you wish to have some sort of influence on the possible outcome (regarding length and sequels), _please read the bottom of the page, or take the poll now live on my profile._**

 **Anyway, with that aside...**

 **Warning: This is an M rated fic. If you are the faint of heart, please step away from this fandom.**

 **Warning: This story is unbeta'd. All mistakes are my own.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Corpse Party. Aika Minoto is my own character.**

* * *

The hunt for water became our main priority. Water was essential if we wanted to survive in a place that seemed drier than a desert, despite the sound of constant dripping always in the distance.

No words were exchanged between us.

We had to be careful that we didn't that we didn't do anything too reckless. We were already injured enough; anything dangerous we did have to be worth it.

Any attempt of conversations died on our tongues as the void of silence rippled between us. It was an eerie feeling; Shimada-senpai always had something to say.

Even after all we've been through, the sight of actual corpses still rattled us to the core… No matter how many we came across… it still had the same effect on us.

We hobbled out of the room, entering yet another hallway. This one wasn't endless like the last one, much to my relief. Both ends seemed to taper off into other sections of the school. We stepped into the hallway and out of the doorframe, noticing that majority of the hallway was more black abysses than actual wood.

I heard Senpai sigh, perhaps wonder how he got himself into this mess.

At this point, I suppose we should be used to this by now, as it's happened quite a few times now. When the school started to shake due to the earthquake that struck, I let out a squeak, much to my embarrassment. I was pushed to the floorboards roughly with a heavy weight on top of me. I had no time to really comprehend the fact that I could possibly be pinned by a piece of debris from the ceiling. The shaking stopping within moments of starting. I heard a groan as the weight on top of me slowly eased itself away.

I opened my eyes that I hadn't realized I closed, quickly concluding that it was Senpai who had me pinned. He bit back another groan as he crawled off me. He sat back onto his knees, hugging his ribs. I winced with him, slowly sitting up myself. Pain radiated up my spine as I groaned myself.

"Sorry if I pushed you too hard..." Shimada-senpai muttered, slowly rubbing his torso.

I nodded slowly, careful with my moments as we both stumbled to get to our feet.

Nothing seemed to changed; just a few more pieces of rotten debris from the quake scattered about.

I had a feeling that Shimada-senpai would've had a comment on the situation - perhaps something along the lines of how pointless that just was.

I watched him scour the area, studying the scratches that he had on him. Most of them were just minor scratches decorating his usually flawless skin. Some on his arms were a little more prominent; evidence of blood seeped through the tears in his pale skin.

My eyes followed his movements as he turned to look behind us.

I noticed one gash caressing his face. It ran down from his cheekbone to the corner of his lip. Dried blood caked the skin around it, mixed in with dirt and sweat. It looked sore... I wonder if he noticed.

I felt the urge to reach out and gently stroke his cheek. I wanted to take a hand kerchief and wipe away the blood and dirt to reveal the marble skin underneath. I wanted to look deep into his cold eyes and tell him that everything was going to be okay. That I was going to get him out alive, even though I wasn't sure myself if this just wasn't some twisted dream.

Shimada-senpai's voice sudden broke through the silence, "I hope you didn't leave anything important in that room, Kouhai..."

I felt my body freeze as my cheeks heated up drastically. I prayed he didn't catch me staring at him, daydreaming a scenario that could never happen.

Recomposing myself, I turned towards the room that we came out of. True to his implication, the room was replaced with wall. The achingly familiar paint chipping off decrepit wood.

"I... I don't think so..." I murmured, suppressing the urge to cough.

The look of suddenly remember something flashed over Senpai's face. His hand started to quickly rummage through the pockets of his trousers before he found what he was looking for. He gently fished out his student I.D. which was encased in a plastic protector. He turned it over and breathed a sigh of relief. Without a word, he slipped his fingers between the plastic folds and gently pulled out a slip of tattered paper. Senpai seemed nostalgic if only for a moment before he crushed the paper scrap in him fist. It appeared he was about to throw it away but instead he sighed in defeat. The redhead slipped the paper back where it belonged behind his I.D., albeit a little wrinkled.

"C'mon..." Shimada-senpai said to me as he pocketed the card. "We should find water... And a way out."

I nodded silently, following his lead. I wanted to question the odd scrap of seemingly useless paper he had stuffed back into his holder but decided against it. Shimada-senpai would probably be too irritable to answer truthfully, and would blow me off instead. I'd have to remember later to bring it up with him...

But priorities first - we need to find water.

I trailed behind Senpai as he led the way. The idle chatter that usually accompanied us was now all but extinct. I swallowed dryly, my throat swollen from lack of a certain substance.

This got me curious: how long have we been here? We shouldn't be this dehydrated if we've been heed for only a few hours... should we? Then again, we did sleep for a while as well... And who's to say it's been only a few hours? Time might pass differently in here, but the affect on our bodies may remain the same... And that running around we've been doing, sweating out what we had left... The recent injuries we've obtained doesn't help either.

We went up the hallway first as the other way seemed to lead down to a stairwell. Almost immediately we came across an open classroom.

It just occurred to me that there was a room number that accompanied it – room 1-A. I couldn't recall the other classrooms we visited having any numbers, not that I was paying attention.

Shimada-senpai tapped my shoulder, gesturing towards the open doorframe. It took me a second longer than it should have to realize he was asking if we should go in. A part of me said no, that we should focus on water first, not random classrooms. Who's to say that there isn't a pool of water in there though? I made my decision, quietly stepping in front of the model to lead the way inside.

It seemed like a standard classroom, minus the strange arrangement of the desks. The teacher's podium sat in front of the chalkboard at the front of a classroom of many child-sized desks. The desks and chairs themselves were scattered throughout the classroom without any rhyme or reason.

We separated as we entered; I was drawn towards the podium while Senpai wandered towards the desks. My fingers traced over the unusually clean surface. I wasn't sure if it was just my eyes playing tricks on me or just the insanity of this place, but I could swear I could see writing.

"Hey… Senpai…?"

The model was currently gazing over the crevasse that separated the classroom in half. He peeked over the chairs that were piled on top of one another. The redhead moved over to a stack that blocked one of the paths that lead to the back of the classroom. He tried to lift the chairs from the pile with no results. It looked amusing, not that I would ever admit it to him. The big, string Shimada Kai-senpai bested by a mere few wooden, child-sized chairs.

I heard him grunt from the exertion before giving up, taking a few steps back. He seemed to size up his wooden opponent before giving it a swift lock, turning back to me, grumbling under his breath.

"There's something on the other side of the classroom… but the _fucking_ chairs are glued to the floor…"

I nod silently, trying to peek around him, wondering what he saw.

"Anyway… What'd you want?"

His bluntness was something I was growing used to, not throwing me off as I swiftly answered him. "I think there's some writing on the podium but I can't really read it…"

The male grunted, digging into his back pocket. He pulled out a small metal rectangle that I wasn't sure what it was.

"What is that…?"

He shrugged, pressing a button so that the screen lit up. I realized it was some sort of phone but there was no keypad.

"It's the iPhone from Apple… I ordered it from America."

I nodded slowly; I wasn't aware that Apple started making phones… It had a weird design too: where was the keypad?

He ignored me, instead flashing the lit screen over the wooden surface. The characters stood out against the wood, with the help of the device's light.

"Yui-sensei," I read out loud, "we've gone to find you. If we pass each other and you see this message, wait right here. We'll be back."

"Huh… I wonder if this is recent…" Shimada-senpai whispered under his breath.

"There was no dust on the podium so…"

He snorted, instead turning back to the back of the classroom. He slowly placed his phone back into his back pocket.

"I saw something glowing purple over there… Think it could be another key?"

I shrug, "Perhaps… Is there another way over there?" It was getting harder to talk. My tongue felt like it was starting to swell.

"Yeah… I think there's a back entrance in the hallway. C'mon."

He took me by the hand and lead me to the hallway. A sense of belonging warmed me; I squeezed his hand gently, to which he responded by squeezing back. I'm not sure if he realized, or just did it subconsciously, but the gentle gesture made my heart flutter.

Even though it made me happy, the fact he was leading me everywhere sort of… made me feel bad about myself. Like I was just merely a child he was forced to take care of. A part of me wanted to pull away from his warm grasp, to show that I was independent. My own selfishness won out; I craved his touch too much to want my independence. A part of me felt weak because of it.

We went back down the hallway and into the other open door that was down there. Sure enough, it led to the back of the classroom that we were just in. Senpai let go of my hand and quickened his pace. He went into the far corner where I assume he saw the sparkling light.

"What the…?"

He bent over to pick whatever it was from the from the floor. He wiped it off in his pants, slowly turning around with a confused look. "It looks like some sort of crystal or something."

I raise an eyebrow, slowly reaching out to see. He reached out with the gem in hand. It shone a bright despite the blackness of the school. The violet crystal seemed to radiate its own kind of energy.

"Dunno why something like this is here…"

I tried running through my head for crystal names, but my knowledge wasn't that extensive. I knew that some were used to ward off spirits and such, but I never really used any myself.

"Maybe we should keep it just in case… I mean, what's the worse that can happen?"

Shimada-senpai shrugged, passing the crystal to me. "Just put it in one of the pockets of my blazer if you want… I don't want to carry it."

I blushed, realizing that I was still wearing it. I nod silently, slowly placing the tiny crystal into one of the pockets. We left the room without another word, finding nothing of interest.

Without further discussion, we went back up the hallway the same way we originally went. We ignored the open classroom, instead heading towards the rickety board that acted as a stand in bridge over the abyss.

"That looks like someone put that there…" Shimada-senpai commented, staring into the darkness below. "And it sure in Hell don't look safe."

I considered his words. He was certainly right about that; the broad board was haphazardly balanced between the broken floor boards. From afar, it was almost safe looking, that it wasn't just a piece of rotting wood balanced precariously between more rotting wood.

"Should we attempted to cross it…"

I heard the slight waver in his voice. It almost dumbfounded me – the great and powerful Shimada Kai-senpai afraid to cross over a small gap. Of course he was afraid though – he had every right to be. Falling to his untimely death weren't exactly his forte, he'd rather flirt with cute girls and pose on the cover of famous magazines.

I took another look at the board, then on the other side of it. Despite the darkness, I could make out what looked to be a stairwell that seemed to go to a second floor. There could be so much more of the school that we're missing if we don't cross. Clearly someone used the make-shift bridge before us. There seemed to be no apparent cracks in the wood, but there was no guarantee it would hold our weight.

I stole a look at the model who had his brows knitted. He seemed unsure if he wanted to proceed further.

"We have to at least try…"

I watched him fidget slightly before steeling himself up. A part of me felt bad; I didn't want ton force him into something he didn't want to do.

"I'll go first," I offered in hopes to ease his worry.

"Wha… What? No, fuck that. I will."

I silently commended him for trying to be brave. He clearly didn't want to go forth but he volunteered to go first anyway.

I shook my head, trying to hide my smile, "No Shimada-senpai. I'm lighter than you. If there's any invisible cracks in the board, I'll be able to find them before you try to cross. It's the safest way."

He seemed slightly conflicted with himself before he waved me off with a snort. "Yeah, whatever. Don't blame me if you fall into that pit of Hell."

I could almost hear the relief and the underlying silent _thank you_. I couldn't help but smile yet again despite myself.

I took one stop onto the board, hearing it creak underneath me. I felt hands on my hips and breath on the nape of my neck.

"Be careful…" he purred into my ear. "… you won't be as cute if when you're dead…" he added cheekily.

My body heated up on its own as my knees trembled underneath me. He let me go with a breathy laugh. I wanted to turn back to glare at him but my cheeks would have given me away due to the flushness.

I spread my arms out to keep my balance, if not to catch myself if I were to fall. I was halfway over before the wood shifted with a loud snap. I let out a scream and closed my eyes so I didn't have to watch the ground rush passed me as the wood left the range of my feet.

"Minoto-kouhai!"

I opened my eyes when I didn't feel wind rushing passed me if I were falling. There was a little dust kicked up but everything else seemed okay – I wasn't falling towards my doom.

I stared back at a white-faced Shimada-senpai.

"I'm okay…" I gasp out.

The board didn't seem to move anymore as I quickly finished my crossing. It only seemed to secure itself even more when it moved, no longer offering even a squeak.

"I think it's okay to cross…"

He looked unsure, still eyeing the bridge wearily. I took notice, taking a step back onto the board with my arm stretched out to him. "Here. Take my hand if you want."

"I don't need to _fucking_ hold your hand. I'm not a _fucking_ child," he growled darkly, slowly shuffling his feet onto the balancing wood.

I withdrew my arm, sewing my mouth shut. I stayed tense, just in case he changed his mind or he began to fall.

The board beneath Senpai dipped significantly as he got to the center. There was a small groan as he licked his dry lips. He stole a look at me, his crystal bye eyes showing his evident fear. He finished his crossing without further incidents, much to both of our relief.

He put on a smug smirk as he peered behind him. "What, you thought I was gonna fall or somethin'?"

I wish I could hug him without him getting angry with me. Instead I opted to stay silent and allow him to have his moment; he seemed more pleased with himself that he made it across than I was.

"Alright. Where next my little Kouhai?" he mused.

I tried my best not to be affected by his pet name though I failed epically. "Uh… L-Let's try the stairs…?"

The model shrugged, seemingly still on his high of not dying. I lead the way, looking down the perpendicular hallway. I opted to follow my original plan of going up the stairs first.

The lead to the floor above us. It just hit me how big this school could be. The never-ending hallway we were in before didn't seem to fit within the scheme of things, rather an outlier of the actual structure of the school.

We slowly climbed the stairs – or rather I slowly climbed the stairs. Shimada-senpai was already at the first landing before I made it halfway. I forgot my ankle was twisted up until now; the pain throbbed dully as I slowly clambered up each step.

"You alright?"

"Yeah… Just… Yeah. I'll be okay."

The redhead waited for me at the landing before turning towards what I could only assume was more stairs.

"Wait Kouhai. Stop climbin' for a sec."

I obeyed his order as he disappeared. I heard his heavy footsteps climb up the stairs besides me before they paused. I thought I heard grunting and strained huffs but there were quickly replaced with him trotting back down.

"It's blocked with chairs are yet again glued to the floor… Surprise, surprise…"

We stumbled back down the stairs, feeling slightly dejected. Who knows what's up there; water, food… _freedom._ It's like the school is actively toying with us; offering us a chance of freedom knowing full well that we can't take it.

"What now? Back over the bridge or…?"

The uncertainty of crossing was still etched quite predominately in his voice. I quickly looked around, trying to save him from having to cross again.

"Uh… No… Let's try exploring more of this side first…?"

Shimada-senpai nodded, seemingly okay with that decision. He looked down the new hall, back at me, at the wide crevasse that blocked our way down the hall then back at me.

"How."

"Um…"

I quickly searched once more, hoping to find anything sturdy to act as a bridge, knowing full well that Shimada-senpai would not be pleased. If we were desperate enough, we could use that make-shift bridge before and use it… I almost slapped myself when I turned around and realized there was an open classroom; 2-A.

"Let's try this way," I started, trying to disguise my secret embarrassment.

Senpai raised an eyebrow but added no comment he merely followed silently behind me.

The classroom opened with only a few desks and chairs strewed about, the rest have fallen down the holes in the floor I suppose. The room was dimly lit with the dull, flickering amber candle that was carefully placed at the front of the room. It gave light to the crudely drawn sketch that was done in different chalk colours on the blackboard. It also illuminated a…

"Is that a skeleton…?" Shimada-senpai whispered to me, his voice caught in his throat.

Only a handful of times did I have the displeasure of staring directly at the human skull, and most of that was in a biology class. As I steadily approached the body, a gentle blue spirit floated from the skeleton. I jumped from the sudden appearance, earning a questionable stare from Senpai. The ghost wore some dark slacks and blazer with an almost white, collared shirt, although the exact colour was difficult to tell due to the blue hues. I assumed it was blood that seemed to forever spill from the laceration on his lower stomach. It looked almost as if it went straight through to the other side…

"… _Help me_ …"

I looked back at his face, his eyes clouded and unfocused from the agony and despair. His dark hair was plastered to his forehead from invisible sweat.

"… _Help me…_ " he pleased before slowly fading away.

"Did I hear someone just talking just now or was that just me?"

I ignored Senpai, instead sinking to my knees with my mouth gaping like a fish. I felt cold with desperation; how was I supposed to help someone who was forever in pain? Who was cast into eternal darkness without hope to ever see the light again? How was I supposed to utilize my gift somewhere where it was absolutely _useless?_

The only thing I could really do was to offer a petty prayer, hoping that somehow it would make things even just a little bit easier.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, turning to see it covered in gauze.

"Hey…"

I nodded, swallowing dryly.

I moved to get up before I noticed something shift on the skeleton. Butterflies flew in my stomach before I realized it was just a name tag and not anything else. I gingerly reached out to it, delicately handling it with care.

" _Shinohara Yoshiyuki-_ san _. Misato Municipal Brotherhood High,_ class _3-4_ …"

Shimada-senpai helped me to my feet slowly as I gripped onto the name tag.

"Maybe you should leave that here with him…"

"No! I… I mean no…" I stammered. My outburst seemed to catch him off guard. "It's… the least I can do for him… to keep him from being forgotten." I explained softly, pocketing the name tag into the blazer pocket.

He merely nodded, either out of respect or just to get me going. He kept me balanced but my knees gave out on their own anyway.

" _Jesus_ , Kouhai!"

My mouth felt dry as I tried to issue an apology, "Sorry… I… Just give me a minute…"

We settled by the candle without another word, our shadows dancing on the walls behind us.

"Sorry we're so close to the… _thing_ … if that's triggering you."

I shook my head, bringing my knees up to my chest. I realized that I was acting much different than I have before, thus possibly causing him to worry for my well being. "No… It's okay… I just… got overwhelmed for a second there… I'll be okay…" I wasn't very sure why I got so overwhelmed myself. I suppose it has something to do with the fact that all these ghosts are suffering and there's not a damned thing I can do about it.

He seemed to acknowledge me, his eyes mesmerized by the flickering flame.

"I wonder how this got here… It looks rather recent."

I hummed in agreement; the wax hasn't been melting for all that long but… time _is_ different here. This candle could be as old as me for all we know, but time here made it seem it was here for just hours.

Shimada-senpai shifted, putting his hands close to the flames in attempted to keep warm.

"Put them on top if you want heat… Just don't burn yourself."

He hummed back at me, his hands moving closer to the top as I said.

We sat in silence, trying to regain whatever we lost… strength, breath, mental stability… I let out a sigh, stretching out my arms. I looked around, eyeing the blackboard. The chalk was illuminated orange; it was easier to pick out than if it was just a dark haze I was peering through.

There was a picture crudely drawn with pink and white chalk. The pink figure drawn was distinctly holding a pair of scissors. It looked like it was chasing after four smaller figures. The figure drawn farthest from the oink one looked significantly more red than pink… dripping down the chalkboard…

I swallowed thickly, slowly getting to my feet to get a closer look.

"Kouhai?"

I ignored him, approaching the chalkboard. The red liquid just continued to drip down the green surface.

"Shi… Shimada-senpai… We should probably leave."

I turned back to him to find him just watching me with narrowed eyes. He shrugged his shoulders, standing up without complaint. We left the candle where it was, lighting the room. Perhaps it could provide a small warmth and comfort for the next person that happens to find themselves in this cursed, cold school.

We left via the second door we were near, finding ourselves on the other side of the gap. We went up the hall without even a sigh between us. We weaved around holes, passing a door that seemed bolted to the wall.

"No sense dwelling on it," the model snorted. His voice was getting increasingly worse. Every now and then we let out a cough, solidifying the claim we desperately needed water.

We approached a wide hall much like the other side. I walked ahead of Senpai to survey the area while something caught his eye on the wall. I heard him wrestle some paper from the wall before I turned to him.

He gripped the poster tight between his fingers before he released a dry laugh. It lacked any warmth and humor, rather it was bitter – not what a laugh should sound like.

" _Admit it,_ " Senpai read out loud, a hint of venom under his breath. " _You hate all your friends. Eventually, you'll kill one another…_ " He finished with a dark chuckle. "Remind you of someone we know, Ghost-kouhai?"

That's when I saw it. It was brief, like a small puff of smoke on a windy day. I saw the pain he was hiding so hard. I saw the despair in his eyes, the agony in his face. Knitted brows, broken eyes, pursed lips. He was hurting that his friends were gone but he acted indifferent… acting like everyone thought he did…

A part of me felt bad. I misjudged him. I thought he was just some… _asshole_ , who cared only for himself. He seemed so nonchalant when we left Ohkawa-senpai alone with Kizami-senpai. How could I know? He was running ahead of me. He was silent. I couldn't see his face or read his mind. He was probably regretting it; perhaps he was grieving while we running but I just couldn't see it.

"What's your problem, Kouhai? Afraid I might try to hurt you?" He finished off with trailing off something in English before he smirked at me.

He was hiding behind his egotistic personality but… it was still there. Phantom pain of a lost friendship… and now he's stuck with me. Someone he's only really started to know the past few hours.

"Ah fuck it... We don't need this crap, thank you very much."

He crumpled the paper with more force than needed, chucking it over his shoulder. It bounced on the floor once before falling into one of the many holes.

"So! Left or right, Kouhai?"

"Huh…" I pursed my lips, trying to push the haunted look I saw on his normally vain face. He clearly didn't want to talk about it so I'll have to add it to my list of things to mention in the future…

Back to the subject at hand, I looked around to see what way suited us best. One way had another board balanced much like the one earlier. On the other side was another staircase that lead to the second floor again… Perhaps that one isn't blocked off?

"Oh no. I am _not_ going on that ride again."

"But there could be anything over there. What if we find water? Or a way out?"

"A way out on the floor above us. Right."

"You never know…" I pleaded.

I suppose I could go alone, but that could potentially be dangerous. We really shouldn't separate, especially in a school full of murderous living and dead things. My curiosity of the unknown above us was strong however; there could be anything over there but we won't know unless we find out.

Shimada-senpai must have noticed that I was at war with myself as he finally spoke up hotly. "Okay, okay fine. I'll go. I'm blaming you if I fall. And I will sure in Hell haunt you for the rest of your life, got it?"

I was starting to grow a habit of smiling at him, watching his eyes avoid me.

I went up and over the board first without any issue. I almost felt like skipping over it, but I decreed that it was a bad idea. Shimada-senpai followed suit, although he was much more hesitant. The board didn't do as much as squeak, much to his relief. He pretty much dragged me up the staircase, hoping to get through this as quick as possible. There didn't seem to be any sign of blockage as we rounded the first landing.

"You're so slow," the redhead complained loudly at the top of the second landing as I made my way up the second set of stairs.

"At least I'll cross make-shift bridges without complaint," I shot back playfully.

"Oooh…" he feigned hurt. "Low blow, my not-so-sweet little Kouhai. Let Senpai worry about Senpai, okay?" he chided in a condescending tone.

I let out a small laugh as my lips nearly cracked.

"What, you think I'm funny or something? Stop your laughing," he chided again with a stupid smile on his face.

He took my hand as I reached the top of the stairs to help me up the final step. I almost fell into his chest because of it, but I quickly pushed myself away to look around instead.

This part of the second level didn't seem to connect with any other part of this floor. There was only a small hall that didn't stretch very far, leading into some rooms. On my left was…

"Is that another corpse?"

My heart and stomach dropped. As I did before, I approached the corpse, sinking to my knees. The skeleton was wearing a girl uniform so I could only assume I was looking at the corpse of a girl. Her rib cage was mashed into smithereens, merely dust particles of bones... and it didn't look like she fell.

I noticed a piece of plastic sticking out of her decaying uniform, so I carefully plucked it from the tatters. I thumbed the I.D. as I read, " _Shinonome Sasha_ -san. _Seisei Academy for Girls._ Class _I-2_."

Shimada-senpai said nothing as I read it out loud. I picked up the crumpled piece of paper that was haphazardly lying next to Shinonome-san's skeleton. I carefully unfolded it, trying to make out the words that were written. Each character was hard to decipher, taking a few times for me to read in order to understand their meaning.

" _God will surely save me._ "

I bit my lip, unable to swallow the lump that formed at the back of my throat. I slowly folded the paper back up, placing it gently into Shinonome-san's bony hand.

"May rest in peace, Shinonome-san…" I choked out, offering a prayer to the dead girl.

"You know she probably isn't… right?" Senpai asked carefully.

I couldn't meet his gaze. "Let's… Let's just check out the rest of this floor…"

The male sighed, deciding against commenting.

The first door we crossed had a sign next to it, explaining the purpose of the rooms in the hallway.

"Lavatories, eh? Think the taps work?"

We entered the first washroom, the urinals giving it away that it was the boys washroom. All three of the broken sinks were without any faucets for us to even attempt to turn. Even the dirt-covered urinals were without a handle to cause water to flow through it.

"I swear… if there's water in the toilets, I don't know if I'm going to be able to drink out of that," Senpai muttered with a disgusted face. "Imagine that: me, degraded to drinking out of a toilet. Gross."

We tried the stalls but the doors wouldn't even open for us. The stall furthest in room seemed to be unlocked, but I thought I sensed a presence behind it. It didn't seem hostile or alive, just rather wanting some privacy.

"Is that one unlocked?" Shimada-senpai inquired when I stood in front of the door longer than I should have.

I debated on saying no, as there _could_ be water in there we could drink, but I shook my head anyway. "Sorry, no. I was just thinking."

"Well get your head out of the clouds, Kouhai."

There was only a moment of silence before Senpai started speaking again, "What if someone really had to go? What'd they do, piss their pants?"

"Shimada-senpai!"

"What? It's a legitimate question."

We left the males washroom feeling slightly dejected. The primal urge for water was beginning to take over my every thought.

We entered the girl's washroom to see if hopefully we had any better luck. I felt something hit me as I entered, causing the hair on my body stand up on end. Shimada-senpai seemed unaffected as he filed in after me, rather more interested in the cracked porcelain sinks. There were taps sprouting out from the walls, the spouts a rusty red due to their age. Senpai busied himself with trying to turn the rusty tap.

I wandered over to the stalls, feeling drawn in for some reason. I placed a hand against the rotting oak wood, the roughness of the door beneath my fingers. I gently pressed in on each stall door as I slowly made my way passed them, but none of them gave. The second last stall had a large shadow mass on the floor in front of it. I couldn't help but dryly swallow. Feeling the overwhelming sense of regret, loneliness and despair. Whatever the darkness was, it was like it was just radiating these feelings to anyone who stood close enough to it.

The stall door this mass was in front of was slightly ajar with a small creaking nose coming from within…

"Fuck yeah!" Shimada-senpai's excited voice rang out.

I jumped in my shoes. I turned away from the stalls towards his voice and the sound coming from the sink. Black sludge oozed from the pipes, earning a grossed-out expression from Senpai. It started to clear up as I got closer to it. By the time I reached it, the water was finally running clear.

"Bottoms up, I guess…?"

The sight of the clear liquid flowing from the tap reminded me of how thirsty I really was. My mouth was a desert while my tongue was sandpaper against the roof of my mouth. It was hard to swallow; it felt like I was swallowing my tongue every time I tried.

"You can test – er, taste. You can taste the water first if you want."

I didn't catch onto Senpai's fumbled mistake; I was rather grateful he was letting me go first. I leaned down, feeling the soreness of my back making my muscles stiff. I ignored the feeling as I into the sink, sticking my face closer to the running water. I could hear it gurgle as it traveled through the pipes. A part of me questioned why it was first a black sludge, but I pushed that thought aside as I began sipping on the water.

It didn't taste all too bad, perhaps a little rusty and stagnant more than anything.

"Hey, don't hog it all. We don't know how much water is left."

I took another mouthful before drawing away. The water did wonder to my mouth, clearing up the dryness that was there before. I wasn't completely satisfied, but I was okay for now.

Senpai leaned in carefully, placing a hand around his torso to support his ribs. I watched him take a sip before his eyes went wide before he quickly pulled away coughing. I figured he drank too fast and it went down his windpipe but he just kept coughing.

"Sen-Senpai...?"

He continued to hack up whatever he drank and them some. I feared he was going to tear his throat if he kept it up and begin hacking up blood or even suffocate.

I released my held breath when he finally stopped coughing so violently and could catch his breath.

"Minoto…! What the actual _fuck_!"

"Huh?"

"That water was fucking nasty! Why didn't you tell me?!"

I looked at him dumbfounded. I knew he had money and thus could afford top-quality anything, but the inability to drink water that tasted only slightly rusty sort of disappointed me.

"God… How can you keep that down?!" he snapped, whipping away any evidence that was left on his chin. "It tasted like it had more iron than blood does, and it burned like fuckin' Hell when it went down…"

"It wasn't that rusty…" I weakly argued.

"Kouhai," Shimada-senpai turned to me in all seriousness. "That water is not fit to drink at all. I'm not sure if that's just your lack of taste making you think it's okay or something but I'm not letting you have any more…"

Being told I couldn't have more of something that was right there hurt. While I wasn't so desperate for water anymore, I still wanted more. I watched the water fall teasingly from the rusty spigot. It was just tantalizingly close but I sighed, giving into Senpai's request. I might not be so thirsty anymore, but Shimada-senpai couldn't keep any water down.

We left the bathroom with the tap still running the apparently undrinkable water. As I proceeded through the doorway, I heard a loud scream coming from the back corner of the room.

" _Seeeeikoooo!"_

I jumped, my heart in my throat. Senpai seemed to hear it as well, quickly turning back to me. His white-faced express told me everything I need to know.

"What the hell was that?"

The scream sounded like a name – one that I heard before. I couldn't place my finger on it, but I turned back into the bathroom. The scream was distinctively female; the voice full of pure despair. It definitely came from the back of the bathroom near the stalls…

I approached the stalls again, the dark spot still there. If anything, it was even darker than it was before, if that was possible. The creaking from the stall seemed to be even louder, drawing me closer. My mind was running a mile a minute as I imagined what was in the stall. There could be anything, but in this school…

I stood in front of it. The door was swaying on it's hinges as if something inside was gently brushing against it. My fingers met the door as I gingerly pushed against it. I felt resistance as something pushed back on it with little force.

"Minoto-kouhai?"

I put my body behind pushing it open. The door moved passed whatever it was hiding without warning, causing me to fall into it.

I gave a silent scream as I fell into a dangling body. I quickly fell back, falling onto the black spot that coated the floor. I gaped at the girl who hung from the ceiling, rope attached tightly around her neck. Her lifeless eyes were rolled up into her head as spit bubbled at the corners of her mouth.

She hadn't been hanging there for long.

Her uniform was strikingly familiar; a pale-yellow blouse and a blue pleated skirt. Her hair even more; signature curls resting on her shoulders…

"Oh my God…" I couldn't help but whisper, my eyes beginning to burn.

Senpai was at my side in an instance. He knelt next to me, giving me the once-over before peering into the stall.

"Oh… Oh my fuck."

The girl… It was a ghost whom of which I met earlier… while Senpai and myself were resting in the infirmary. She was the excited spirit – Shinohara Seiko-senpai.

She seemed so full of life despite the fact she was dead. She seemed like the type of person to always have a smile on her face in the toughest of times. I didn't know her, but she seemed so strong and yet… Shinohara-senpai hung herself.

Heavenly Host Elementary was not heavenly by any standards. It drove people to do things they would never do. It broke even the brightest of spirits and drove them to insanity. It made you wonder what it would do to us…

"I met her before…" I explained briefly, my voice barely above a whisper.

Shimada-senpai inquired no further, merely gently nudging me to my feet. He looked sympathetic, his lips sewed shut and his eyes hiding sadness. He tried to pull me away but I couldn't stop staring at her lifeless body, hanging uselessly from the ceiling.

Without warning, a spirit appeared behind the body. She looked exactly like the corpse hanging from the rope, her stare piecing my soul.

"Shinohara-san…"

She said no words as she gestured to the tag pined to the bottom of her skirt. She gave a small nod, her head losing support and violently tilting to the side. She visibly winced before fading back into the darkness that happily swallowed her.

I shook Senpai's tender grasp off me, stepping close to the corpse. I felt weak; I was a ghost person, not a dead body person. I went to grab the thing clipped to her skirt, feeling the heat still radiating from her body.

I almost got sick, feeling the bile at the back of my throat as my eyes watered even more. My trembling hands struggled with getting the tag free of her clothes, but it finally gave up. I quickly backed up, backing into Shimada-senpai's arms. His arms wrapped around my shoulders as he walked me away from the hanging corpse without a word.

I looked down at my hands, realizing it was Shinohara-senpai's name tag I was holding.

 _Shinohara Seiko. Kisaragi Academy. Class 2-9._

" _Take care of Naomi-chan for me…_ "

My head snapped up, looking for any sign of the spirit. My eyes darted around, not finding any evidence she was nearby as I was lead into the hallway.

"You alright…?" Senpai questioned, noticing my jerky movements.

I gave a breathy laugh.

"Yeah. I'll be okay."

I pocketed the name tag, feeling the pocket becoming heavier with every name tag I put in there.

 _Don't worry Shinohara-senpai. I'll try my best._

* * *

 ** _PLEASE READ_**

 **A** **s I said, there's a very important message down here. I'm debating on possibly changing my original idea of the story (should not affect anything up until now at all), which leaves an opening for a sequel. I know myself, and I can see myself stopping half-way through but I figured it would be only fair if I ask my readers.**

 **Should I base my Corpse Party fanfiction, entitled Ghost Girl, more on Corpse Party: Book of Shadows?**

 **It may seem like a simple question to answer but there are pros and cons to it as well.**

 **For the good, it would mean more story, more in depth into characters, and a possible sequel. I just finished playing through BoS to get all the bad endings to unlock the prologue to the next game... The creative writer in me is certainly working it's magic, to say the least. I have an idea how this would work out (the rest of the story, I mean, not the sequel quite yet...), and would mean a lot more content and exploration into my character Aika and Kai, a character who received little screen time.**

 **For the bad, it would mean a lot more story (haha). I'm not sure how much longer my interest into CP will be. I never truly lose interest in a fandom... I just sort of fall out of it. It's clearly demonstrated in the stories I'll write in a period of time and the drawings I do privately... I've never finished a story that was more than just a one-shot (except for one that was originally a very long one-shot.) Even that long one-shot took more than one go at it to write. There's a possibility that I'll get so far into writing this one (and the possible sequel) and end up putting it on permanent hiatus.**

 **With both sides accounted for, please do not get angry with either result. If it stays the way the story is headed now, it will still be long, but will have a more satisfied ending; the basis of the story is already jot-noted... (somewhere). If I were to base it off more of BoS, there will be a lot more content, and would take much more time to conceive as I have to rework ideas in order to make it how I want it.**

 **I thought it was only fair to give those who actually read the story a chance to speak out.**

 **So I'll remind you of the question again, keeping in mind what either way could mean:**

 **Should I base my Corpse Party fanfiction, entitled Ghost Girl, more on Corpse Party: Book of Shadows?**

 **You may answer this in a review, or if you feel like you want this to be private, there is a live blind poll currently posted on my profile. It's the same question (albeit it didn't space how I wanted it to...) So, if you feel like you want to see more of my useless OC, vote yes. If you want the story to finish the way it is on a higher note, vote no.**

 **Again, do not get angry at either vote; the final decision is my own choice.**

 **The poll shall be posted for an undisclosed amount of time. Again, feel free to vote either or. If anything, it will only help you enjoy the story even further.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Man what a ride.**

 **So I lied. The entirety of the original plot of chapter 7 will finish in Chapter 9... Haha. Oh well I guess. Pushes back my plans a chapter but hey, more content for you to read.**

 **If you're curious about the poll, read the end notes of this chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Corpse Party. Aika is my own character.**

 **Warning: M rated fic means M rated things. Don't like, don't read. (Going to stress this point heavily for this chapter... But eh, it's Corpse Party. If you didn't like it to begin with, you wouldn't be in this fandom.)**

 **Warning: Unbeta'd. All mistakes are my own.**

* * *

 _I don't think we realized how twisted the permanent residents of this place really were. That they were more than just pawns in the sick game the school made us play._

Shimada-senpai walked me away from the bathrooms. I still felt numb – why did she go out like the way she did? My mind couldn't wrap around it.

 _I don't think we realized how twisted the school itself really was either; like it never occurred to us that the darkness in here could snuff out any light that tried to exist._

This "Naomi-chan" … She seemed very important to Shinohara-senpai… Why did she go out like that if "Naomi-chan" is still here?

 _It was only now we realized the truth of the matter. It was only now we realized we were no safer in death than we were in life. No matter what: the school always won in the end… no matter how bright you were in life._

"Still thinking about that girl?" Shimada-senpai's voice broke me out of my train of thought.

I sighed in defeat. My thoughts were completely occupied with a girl's whose death made no sense to me. It was a dangerous thing, to be preoccupied with the dead; this school was dangerous enough when someone was focused on just the living alone.

While my mind was left less hazy than it was before due to the much-needed water, Shimada-senpai was still without. He sounded much worse now than before; I swore he was going to cough until his throat ripped to shreds.

I felt his large hand find the small of my back, gently nudging me away from the door. I stole a quick glance to his face; he was paler than before, sweat trickling down his brow. His lips looked like they were beginning to chap and crack as he went to lick them but it didn't seem to do much. His eyes were tired when they caught my gaze.

I felt my mouth go dry; I felt partially responsible for it for some reason… Perhaps if I mentioned it tasted even just slightly off, and not preoccupied with the fact that it was water…

"So, what now?"

I blinked owlishly at him, not fully registering his question.

He sighed, "Kouhai, I know I'm handsome and all, but you mustn't be distracted by my beauty. I _could_ get you killed, my little Kouhai…"

"Senpai!"

He grinned devilishly at me, his teeth poking between his lips. I felt myself groan before he spoke up again, "I asked what now… Considering that the bathrooms are permanently out of order…"

My gaze fell to the ground at the sound of his words. My mind drifted back to Shinohara-senpai, dangling from the rafters by a single thing of rope tied around her delicate neck… Spit bubbled from the corners of her frowning lips as her eyes rolled into the back of her skull… maggots began to crawl out of her ears and nostrils as she swung lifelessly…

"Jesus Christ. Stop zoning out on me. We've got to find a way out for the living and not worry about the dead."

"I…"

He sighed again, this time out of annoyance. "Maybe your brain is still fried from lack of water."

I say nothing but I could feel his heated stare beat down on me.

"We should probably find more water…"

"Yeah, no shit. But how? Even if there are more bathrooms with working taps, I doubt they'll have clean water. I'd say it's the rusty pipes that are making the water undrinkable."

I nodded silently, considering his words. It hit me how serious this problem was becoming. I was partially quenched while Senpai was worse than before and the water from the school's taps was undrinkable.

A subtle groan of thunder rolled overhead.

My eyes widened when I remembered it was still raining. "The rainwater! That should be fresh, right? The front entrance was opened, wasn't it?"

"Oh shit, you're right," Shimada-senpai perked up but suddenly faulted. "But… Didn't you say it was dangerous to go out that way?"

"I did but…" I paused, trying to retrieve my thoughts from earlier, remembering what the spirit warned us about. "I… It should be safe as long as we don't stray too far from the school… I mean, we're only there to catch a quick drink then go back in, right?"

A long sigh fell from between his lips. I wasn't sure what he was thinking; was he getting fed up with me by now?

"We could always try… I just hope it isn't acid rain or anything."

I never even considered the thought until Senpai mentioned it. In such a dangerous area, it wouldn't be a far-fetched thought to think that the rain was too acidic for us to consider it drinkable.

I could see us spitting and gagging on what we thought was precious, fresh water, but rather an acidic substance that burned our throats when we tried to swallow. We'd cough up blood as we struggled to breath, only for more water to fall between our lips, worsening our pain.

"Did I seriously lose you again from thinking about acidic rain? _For fuck sakes_ … We need to get you checked for some attention deficiency or something."

I gulped, recollecting myself the best I could as Shimada-senpai just sneered at me. He removed his hand from me without another word as he started to make his way to the stairwell. He never bothered to stop to check if I was following as he began his decent.

I of course followed without much hesitation. There wasn't much else we _could_ do, even if the rain turned out to be undrinkable. The only thing we could do was try, and hope for the best. After we situated that problem, we could move onto bigger issues that weren't as pressing than this one; such as how do we get out of a haunted school that seemed to be in its own dimension.

The more pressing matter of finding water sounded much better than the daunting task of finding a way out of this mess, I figured.

I found Senpai waiting for me at the foot of the stairs. He had his arms crossed impatiently as his foot tapped the ground. It created an irritated metronome piercing the thick air of the school. I briefly wonder how far it'd travel, or if the school was some sort of vacuum of sound… it certainly seemed like that.

"Remind me to not let you twist your ankle again…" he grumbled in my general direction.

I nod silently as my good foot hit the bottom step. "Duly noted," I deadpanned.

It was then that Senpai seemed to remember about the board we crossed before; he froze next to me.

"Want me to carry you across, my prince?" I have a tired sigh, not really comprehending I said it out loud.

There was silence between us as Shimada-senpai let my jest sink in.

"Yeah hold on now, I let an injured girl half my size carry me across a five-foot gap… I'll pass, sweet cheeks."

I was almost taken aback when I realized I said that out loud without much of a second thought. My tongue was becoming looser… perhaps from lack of water in my fried brain.

"In fact, I should be the one carrying you across, my pint-sized Kouhai."

"Considering you barely want to cross yourself, I wouldn't recommend that at all…"

There was a brief stillness before, "Yeah… you're probably right on that one Kouhai. In fact, you're so right that you earned the grand prize of going first."

I narrowed my eyes at Shimada-senpai who just grinned innocently at me, raising an eyebrow.

"Something wrong, my dearest Kouhai?"

I sighed to myself, allowing any anger I felt disappear.

"No Senpai."

I passed over the board without incident, Senpai following suit. We paused on the other side to grasp our bearings as the school groaned around us; another clap of thunder rolled overhead.

There were no residual spirits anymore, I noted absently. It's like they were all gone… as if afraid of something…

"Do you know which way was the entrance?" I hummed softly, pushing back my previous thoughts. I looked down the hallway we originally came from and the new one before us.

He shrugged as if it were nothing, "Not really. Wasn't really payin' attention which was Kirisaki-san was leading us – too preoccupied with other thoughts, you know?"

I hummed at his words, deciphering that he didn't really care.

I considered going back the way we came; there was another stairwell we could go to but that required crossing another plant, which would rouse another batch of complaints from the model. It would also mean we'd have to go through that classroom with the candle in it, which I wasn't exactly thrilled about doing.

"Let's go down this way… Maybe it'll wrap around to the other side?"

The older male shrugged his shoulders, offering no further comment. He didn't mention that he didn't want to cross the makeshift bridge again; I wondered if he remembered that there was one back there.

We started our path, passing the stray chair that was out of place in the hall. A brief thought of how it got there passed my mind; I wondered if it was movable, unlike the other chairs and desks we encountered.

Without warning, something hit me as we entered the narrowed hallway. It wasn't anything physical, but rather supernatural. The darkness seemed to enclose around us as the smell of something metallic and rotten met our nose. It was a subtle scent; it hit us like a wall as soon as we took a step forward into the new hall.

I knew the smell well. It was used as a stain on the rotting wood that made up the structure of the school. It coated the decaying clothes of the deceased as their bodies littered the school like dead flies. It was the same liquid that pulsed rapidly through my veins now, even as I asked confirmation.

"Is… that blood…?"

I knew it was. How could it be anything but? But the way it hit me… it was so strong. It smelt like a pool of iron in a vat of molten lava. It was intertwined disturbingly well with the odor of rotten flesh. Accompanied with it all was the buzzing of flies; I could only imagine seeing a sea of white maggots crawling over whatever we were about to come across.

Shimada-senpai smelt what I was talking about – it was hard not to. He made a face as he grunted in disgust before he turned to me. He looked at me incredulous for a second as if wondering if I was being serious, asking if it was blood and guts we were smelling.

"No, Kouhai. That is not blood we are smelling. That, my sweetest little Kouhai, is my burning desire to be with you. That is the smell of flowers in the dawn, dew dripping oh-so delicately from their fragile pedals. That is the smell of after it rains where you can practically hear the grass and trees sigh in relief of such a gracious drink."

I let him ramble on, my cheeks staining pink. For a brief moment, I forgot I could smell blood. For a moment, I could picture the scene he was spilling from his lips as his voice carried me away from the haunted school.

Something squished uncomfortable under my foot, brining me back to the horrors of reality. I gulped audibly as my stomach churned as nausea rushed through my body.

"That's… definitely a dead body we're smelling…" I squeaked out in a small voice.

I was stating the obvious. It was hard to tell to say if it was actually a body, considering that blood and muscle tissue was splattered against the wall. Flies flew around the decomposing mass as blood continuously dripped down onto the floor. I removed my foot from the mass of flesh I had stepped in, hearing it squish at the movement. Specks of white amongst the blood signified bone, although most of it was just shards of shrapnel by now. Nothing remained of the body's clothes; it was either covered in blood and tissue or shredded completely. Whoever this mass of blood and chunks of flesh used to be was completely eviscerated.

" _Holy fuck_ …" Shimada-senpai covered his mouth with a shaking hand as he swore in English.

It was crude to look at; I spotted part of the mass' entrails – part of the large intestine. I closed my eyes, steadying my breath. There was something... intimate – for lack of better word... about seeing something that used to be human in such a state… It was unnatural…

"Well… I _was_ trying to lighten the mood… but clearly…"

I stepped around more flesh that littered the floor.

I could see the mass move from the maggots crawling and burrowing holes into the flesh. I steeled myself as I swallowed my breath, feeling like I swallowed my tongue along with it.

I got a better look at the body at this angle. There wasn't much more to look at but I could just make out the rough outline of a person – two arms, two legs, a torso… although it was nothing but muscle left. It looked like whatever threw them against the wall caused their limbs to blow off from impact. I was somewhat grateful that there was no head present; I didn't want to gaze into the empty sockets of someone who's last breath consisted of being thrown into a wall at inhuman speeds.

"Let's get away from this thing…" Shimada-senpai's voice was low in my ears as he approached me.

I stared up at him, catching him looking at what was left of the decomposing body with a hardened gaze.

He was dissociating himself from it, I realized. He wasn't seeing the body as something that was human, but rather something that it is now. He wasn't making the connection that this… thing… was once able to walk and talk much like us; rather that it didn't have feelings like we did, could laugh, smile, cry, scream like we could…

It was a smart thing to do. You can't get strung up on every body we see in this place but… at the same time, it took away what made us sane... what made us human.

"Okay. C'mon. Let's get moving now…"

I wanted to agree. I wanted to move away from the disgusting pile of tissue and never look back. I wanted to put on a brave face, look at it once and be done… but I couldn't.

I could let go of the idea that _this was once human_. This mass of flesh, blood, cartilage, bone, muscle was once breathing. It once laughed. It once cried. _She used to live_.

I was drawn towards the body on the wall like a moth to a flame. I wasn't sure how or why; was I fascinated with seeing the innards of another human being? I didn't think I was as the air around us grew cold. My skin pricked under the sleeves of the maroon blazer and even Senpai shivered, calling out on the temperature change,

"What's going on?"

I could hear giggles, I realized as I stepped into the blood. I heard it squish at my feet, gushing under my weight while Shimada-senpai swore at me in disgust but I ignored it. Something was pulling me in; it had a hook in my heart and was reeling me into the wall. The giggling got louder, as did the quiet moans I was only now registering.

I was directly in front of the wall now, the muscle mass directly in my face. The strong scent of iron and rot penetrated my nose but for the moment, it didn't bother me. The fact that I was stepping in the entrails of something human – something that used to be walking and talking just as I was now – didn't bother me at all right now, and I knew it should have scared me.

Something wanted me standing here.

I didn't register it at first – I was nothing more than a slave to whatever held me captive – but I caught wind of the subtle yet auditory wails of something – someone – crying out in perpetual agony and despair.

A tiny voice in the back of my skull told me I heard the voice before but I ignored it; I had to disassociate this hulking mess if I wanted to walk away with my sanity.

It was almost as if the school heard my silent proclamation and laughed.

The moans suddenly grew louder, sending another wave of shills down my spine. It was all building up to something.

I couldn't move my body anymore, even if I wanted to. Something had their grasp on me tightly and a sense of panic formed but I couldn't act on it. Shimada-senpai must have been frozen too – he never pulled me back from the wall even though I was close enough to kiss it.

The air turned ice cold as a familiar feminine voice penetrated my brain.

" _You… aren't… Shig… nii…"_

My lungs stopped working as the voice left a bitter taste in my mouth. I knew that voice. I knew who this was. I knew who this pile of rotting flesh and blood was. I knew and I knew I had to get out of here. I knew I had to move but I couldn't. I couldn't move and I knew… I knew who this voice was.

" _Stop looking at me…"_ the voice demanded softly into the room. It was a simple request but there was malice behind her words.

A head phased through the wall. It was transparent and glowed red. I could make out the girl's side ponytail and her large, broken eyes as they blinked owlishly at me. Suzumoto-senpai drifted close to my face, her body still in the wall as she brought a hand to touch my cheek.

This wasn't the same spirit I met in the infirmary. This spirit was dark, malice dripping from every word as anger stoked the fires in her eyes. This girl was as red as the very flames that would keep one warm, though her touch was colder than the darkest night.

She leaned in closer, her eyes giving no hint on what she was planning on doing. I couldn't move at all; I was subjected to whatever she wanted to do to me and I had no way to stop her.

Her name was lodged in my throat but I couldn't find the will to force it between my lips. My eyes were trained forward, unable to look anywhere but the mass of flesh – Suzumoto-senpai's body – on the wall.

Her icy breath hit my ear as she drew in close to it. I could feel her fingers still grazing my cheek when she drew in a breath.

" _ **STOP LOOKING AT MY HIDEOUS BODY!**_ "

My ear rang in pain as I was temporarily deafened by her unearthly screech. I found use of my legs again as I backpedaled straight into Shimada-senpai who immediately wrapped an arm around me. Suzumoto-senpai screeched again, flinging herself at us as we turned tail and ran.

I never bothered looking back as I kept pace with Shimada-senpai. The primal urge to get away as well as the fuel of adrenaline that pumped through my veins kept me from noticing my throbbing ankle as we booked it for our lives.

Without warning, my legs gave out beneath me as I was sent crashing to the ground. I figured we were not longer being chased as Shimada-senpai didn't immediately continue running when he heard me fall. Instead he knelt down next to me, his breath ragged.

A heavy sob wracked through my body as the sudden energy left me sagging and weak. My ear still rang where Suzumoto-senpai screamed into it; my knees were scraped against the hard ground, possibly scratched while my ankle throbbed in newfound pain. None of this really bothered me though; what was crippling was the reality of the situation.

This school was its own version of Hell. There was no apparent way out, no matter how far you crawled. Everything in here was created to murder you without remorse – even the freaking _water_. Water isn't supposed to be biased! It's just _water!_ And even then, if somehow, you manage to find yourself dead, the suffering _never_ _stops_. No matter how bright you were in life, it will _not_ survive into death. No matter how hard you try, the crippling darkness of the school will fill every crack of your soul until its oozing back out, only adding to your torment.

Many people say that life after death is a gift. Here? It's even worse than dodging traps and the insanity of the ghosts with scissors while living.

Shimada-senpai wrapped his strong arms around me as another shaking sob left my body trembling. He said no words as he pushed my head into his chest where I clutched onto the fabric of his shirt. He offered no words of comfort, no "it is going to be okay," or "it's alright, you're alright, you're going to be okay," because what's the use? We both knew he'd be lying; the words would be nothing but empty promises offered into the deafening silence of the school.

After a long while, I pulled away. My body was throbbing everywhere; my ankle sent throes of pain as my back started to twinge again. I dried my tears as I gave a hiccup, wishing desperately I had a tissue to at least wipe my nose.

The school wasn't merciful enough for that.

"You good enough to keep going?"

My red-rimmed eyes caught his; his icy-blue orbs were glazed over with shell-shock. He was hurting just as much as I was with the idea of the never-ending torment… he was just dealing with it differently. He was stiff against me as he pulled his arms away, pushing himself back to his feet. He looked at me with a touch of disinterest as he extended his good hand to me.

I nodded once, reaching up to grab the offered hand. I looked down as I was about to push myself up but the ground caught my eye.

Blood covered the ground in front of me with its sickeningly crimson hue; my stomach clenched as I immediately thought it came from me. That thought was quickly dismissed as I realized that the blood extended out from my knees, covering the ground a good bit in the direction of the corridor.

It looked like someone had been dragged in this section of the hall.

My mind immediately knew who it was, even if I couldn't imagine the event. All I could see was Suzumoto-senpai being dragged against her will before being wailed at the wall where we found her carcass. I could, however, imagine screams and pleads to her captor, begging to be let go before she was brutally murdered.

Within arm's reach was a name tag. Still grasping Senpai's hand with one, my other hand reached over to grab it before I allowed him to help me to my feet. I didn't have to take a second look to recognize the girl's photo on the cover.

My eyes grazed over the words as they burned into my eyes.

 _Suzumoto Mayu. Kisaragi Academy. Class 2-9._

I pocketed the student I.D. without a word. Shimada-senpai watched with a careful eye, his lips in a thin line as he carefully formed words in his mind.

"You knew her?" he asked after a prolong period of time.

I nodded shakily, drawing a sharp breath as I forced myself to explain. "Yeah… She… Suzumoto-san was one of the ghosts I met in the infirmary… She along with Shinohara-san… I just… she wasn't like that before…"

Shimada-senpai nodded curtly, deciding against asking any more questions or adding further commentary.

I was relieved with his decision to stop talking.

Within steps of where we stopped to recompose ourselves, we came across a door that Senpai seemed to recognize as he approached it with wide eyes.

" _Fuck me…_ It's the infirmary… and where it's supposed to be."

"Is it locked?"

He tried the door, the sound of it jiggling uselessly filling the air. He didn't give up at first, rather his eyebrows knitted in confusion.

"It's not locked I don't think… it's like something's trying to hold the doorknob…"

I pursed my lips. I didn't really want to go into the infirmary to begin with; memories were tainted now from in there… and it wasn't like we were desperate to go in there. There wasn't any water in there to help our case. We needed to stay focused, not play around with doorknobs.

"Just leave it. There's nothing we need in there anymore."

"You sure? I could force it open… Whatever's on the other side doesn't seem all that strong."

I shook my head, tugging at the sleeve of the blazer. Something was silently nudging me along, and I was more than happy to comply.

"Alright fine. We can come back later if we need anything I guess."

Shimada-senpai let go of the door with one last jiggle. He seemed reluctant to step away but did without further comment. We passed the door and the sense of regret hit me. I wasn't sure why; why was I feeling like we should try the door again? Why do I feel like I don't want to leave whatever's in the infirmary alone…?

Whatever was edging me forward won out in my inner battle with myself. My footsteps never faltered as we waded aimlessly around the cracks in the floor as we approached the stairs. We clambered down without words, the air between us thick.

There was an elephant between us now.

I guess the reality of the situation only started to hit us now. It's different seeing already decomposed bodies… we could kid ourselves into thinking that they're just really good props. Even the reality of Katayama-senpai dying from blood lost could potentially be passed off as a horrible dream… For some reason, seeing Suzumoto-senpai blown to pieces – parts and blood still dripping to the floor, flies swarming the decomposing flesh as it moved with maggots – was our wake-up call.

It showed us that this was all very real and very dangerous. It displayed to us this wasn't a game anymore; this is a level of Hell that we were damned to in life as well as in death.

"Oh, hold on now… I think I recognize this now."

I was broken from my depressing thoughts, blinking around. On my right was a short corridor with an iron door at the end. My hair stood up on end the longer I stared down it; there was a strong, residual energy down that way I didn't like.

The opposite hallway lead deeper into the school. I couldn't see far through the dark haze.

Shimada-senpai took a step forward, nodding his head as he looked around, "Yeah… I think this is around the same place where we picked up your ass, Kouhai."

I quickly peered around, trying to recognize the area. Nothing was really familiar to me; the entire school looked really all the same by now. There was a distinct lack of spirits here too, unlike when I woke up.

Shimada-senpai was muttering to himself as if trying to jog his memory. "Yeah. The exit's this way. Kirisaki-san didn't want to go the other way. Don't remember why though."

"Well, let's go to the entrance first… we can check this door after if you want…"

He silently agreed with me. The idea of getting more water sounded rather lovely right about now… I could only imagine how bad Senpai must be feeling as I licked my lips.

The area was beginning to look familiar as we headed in the direction that Senpai thought was the way. My mind was beginning to supply memories from earlier that escaped me just moments before. It came to me that I hadn't been paying close attention to my surroundings earlier and I was kicking myself now; I had been too preoccupied with the fact I was with people who didn't immediately blow me off. I made a promise to myself to pay closer mind to which way we go, considering that Senpai wasn't helping with that at all.

It took us no time to reach the entrance. I heard Shimada-senpai sigh in relief as we stepped over the child-sized shoes and into the front foyer. He took large strides to the door as I hung back. My stomach clenched uncomfortably as shivers were sent through my body. I thought I felt a small hand on my shoulder as I went to brush it away, but found nothing there. I fixed the blazer on my shoulder instead.

The spirit that was here earlier to warn us was no longer around; I couldn't even sense his residual energy or find a body. The air around us felt darker, not that it was easy to notice. It was a subtle change in the tension, just slightly heavier and harder to breath than before.

Senpai stepped towards the door, eyes glinting happily. He pushed open the door with his arms, allowing the crisp rain to fall into the silent school. The sound of the outside forest rushed in to meet my ears.

I smiled myself, taking a step forward so I could test the water. The invisible hand on my shoulder suddenly tightened, keeping me in my tracks. I heard a child's giggle softly into my ear as my mouth went dry. There was a sudden gust of wind that blew in from outside, lashing at our bodies like whips. The door flung shut in front of the model, rousing a yelp of surprise from him. The hand was lifted from my shoulder as the wind ceased.

The model cursed out loud, trying to force the door back open but the wind did a number on it. It was like it was glued to the wall, much like most other doors and windows in the school.

"This… You've got to be fucking with me… Are we not allowed to have water or something?! What the fuck is wrong with this place?! _Fuck, fuck, fuck!"_

I allowed him to vent as he tried to open the door although his attempts were futile.

I felt indifferent about the situation, oddly enough. My mind felt like it was floating as something urged me to turn and walk away. I could feel a cold, tiny hand grasp my own, trying to pull me away; I couldn't see the hand but I knew it was there.

 _Follow me_.

There was another light giggle of a girl, followed by another laugh, but it sounded more of a gargle if I had to place it.

I allowed the hand to lead me away from Shimada-senpai; I didn't call out to him as I walked away. The child lead me down the same way we came.

I knew I should be scared. I knew I should stop following whatever was leading me and run. I knew I should call out to the male who was raving at the door. I tried but I couldn't. My voice was lost in my throat while my legs moved without my consent. I was being forced somewhere I knew I shouldn't be yet again.

"… Kouhai…? Minoto-kouhai?!" I could hear Shimada-senpai call out to me, realizing that I was no longer with him.

"Over here, Senpai!" I found my voice, though the child's hand was still leading me.

I heard his heavy footfalls as he ran to catch up as I walked passed the stairwell we came down. I saw a corpse tucked in the corner on my left, but I wasn't allowed to make a move towards it; instead I was lead to the iron door that separated me and whatever was on the other side.

The hand let go as I was suddenly able to move myself. I heard the giggling again – not the gargling – as I watched a child's hand phase through the door from the other side. It grasped the handle with its tiny fingers and turned it with a soft click. It quickly phased through back to the side it came from.

"Minoto-kouhai!" Shimada-senpai snapped at me as he panted. He came up abruptly behind me, clamping his large hands down on my shoulders. He turned me around roughly with one swift movement, glaring into my eyes with his own ablaze anger. " _What the fuck_?! Have you lost your mind? Or have you forgotten how easy it is to get killed in here by yourself?!" He pointed to the discarded corpse for emphasis as he seethed.

I felt guilt begin to pile up but I allowed him to berate me. Our emotions were running high already and the episode with the door and me being lead off didn't help.

"I'm sorry…" I apologized softly once he stopped talking.

The model's breath was still coming heavy as he backed off, letting me go. Anger still flickered behind his eyes but he seemed to be calming down. "Just don't go running off like that again without telling me," he warned.

I nod submissively, feeling my cheeks warm up from shame.

"Alright. Now… where were you going?"

I turned away from him, buying some time to formulate a reasonable explanation. I stepped towards the door, putting a hand on the metal. It was bitter cold beneath my skin but I didn't remove it. I could hear something on the other side; the faint pitter-patter of rain hitting the roof and ground outside.

"I was lead here…" I admitted after a moment as I turned the knob. A part of me was expecting that it was going to be locked – why would we be that lucky for it to be unlocked? To my surprise, the doorknob turned seamlessly, allowing me to push it open.

A blast of fresh air hit me as the door swung open. I couldn't help but gasp as the cool air hit my lungs, replacing the stale, moldy air I was breathing just before. A shiver went through me as I pushed it open farther, stepping onto the roofed walkway that seemed to connect to another part of the school.

There was a fence separating us and the wet ground but it wasn't that tall for us not to be able to jump over. At the other end of the walkway was another iron door that seemed to lead to another wind of the school. Outside the school was a never-ending sea of green pine trees, soaked with the rainstorm that showed no signs of stopping.

Senpai pushed passed me, easily clearing the fence as he tore off his white dress shirt and threw it back onto the walkway. He wallowed and basked in the rain, catching the drops in his mouth. I quickly followed him, taking off the maroon blazer and lifting myself over the fence.

I was almost immediately drenched with the torrential downpour, freezing me to the bone but for the moment, I didn't care. I was happy that for once, something worked out. We were able to find fresh water to drink after wandering aimlessly in the dark. Despite the fact my blouse and skirt stuck to my skin uncomfortably, my hair was plastered to my head, and millions of cold little needles of waters pricked my skin, I was okay. I was okay and was able to watch Shimada-senpai smile as rain dripped down his chin, hair just as wet as my own.

I couldn't help but smile brighter at him.

He seemed to catch me staring, his eyes glinting with mischievous intent as he smirked. He pushed back his sopping wet bangs away from his face as he closed the gap between us. He wrapped his arms around my smaller body, crushing me against him. My fingers played with the wet fabric of his black t-shirt, unable to look into his eyes. He didn't like that as he brought a hand up to capture my chin between his fingers, lifting it up so he could gaze directly into my green eyes.

We stayed like that as if the world stopped. I shivered from the body heat he was emanating as rain continued to pour around us but neither of us noticed. I was lost in his crystal blue eyes as they stared directly back, captured in my own. I felt my heart beat a mile a minute as I could feel his own beat beneath my hands, though his was slow and methodical. I could feel his chest move with every breath he took as he inched closer to my face.

I knew where this was headed, but I couldn't help but want to tease him. Remembering what he said earlier, I bit my lip with an innocent smile.

He took the bait with stride. His lips crashed into mine as I gave a small hum of approval, earning a throaty laugh from him. His hand caressed my freezing cheekbone before sliding down to the back of my neck where he cupped my head, gently pulling me into a deeper kiss.

Our lips moved together much better than last time; there was a warmth that never existed before but something still felt off. His movements, though fluid, seemed practiced. It was like this was some drill he went through a thousand times before and he was just going through the motions. I knew he had girlfriends before but something still felt off about this and it made my heart throb painfully.

When he pulled away, he gave a winning smile. My heart forgot about my thoughts as it palpitated in my chest, sending my mind reeling. Water dripped over his chiseled as he flashed his dazzling white teeth at me. That's what made him a model; his perfect complexion, heart-stopping smile, eyes as blue as the sky, fiery red hair that framed his face even when wet.

He gazed at me with such a gentle expression that for a second, I was lost in time. I forgot that I was standing in freezing rain that made my clothes stick to my skin. I forgot that I was stuck in a haunted school full of students who met their demise and were forever tormented until they forgot what made them human.

I forgot to ask him why he seemed so methodical when he kissed me.

* * *

 **So. Many reasons why this was so late coming out.**

 **One: I wanted to see where I should go with my story with my poll before I started again (more on that below)**

 **Two: I binged watched Voltron: Legendary Defender in three days and holy shit I love it so much. I swear, I have a thing for guys with long hairs... Haha**

 **So yeah, sorry about that.**

 _ **Poll Results**_ :

 **Thanks so much to everyone who input their opinion! It means so much to me.**

 **Now for the actual results: I decided to do a bit of both. I've expanded the original idea of my story using BoS as a guide, but the ending will be left that there _could_ be a possible sequel, but there doesn't necessarily needs one, per se.**

 **The new idea I have now will be seen within the next... 2-4 chapters, I hope... Depends if my plans will work out (unlike chapter 7 which has taken 3 chapters to write out). This new idea broadens the story and adds more development into Aika and Kai who desperately needs it.**

 **Again, I appreciate everyone for their support and I must remind you, this is my decision in the end. Don't get mad at anything that happens from here on in... but I'm really happy with what I have planned in the future.**

 **Oh. And chapter 9's already written as of right now... so stay tuned for that to be posted c;**


	9. Chapter 9

**So this is the subtle beginning of the transition into BoS. The story begins to taper off within the next few chapters from the original idea of the story.**

 **Also: This is the end of the original chapter 7 xD Yay. It only took 3 chapters.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Corpse Party. Aika is my own character.**

 **Warning: M rated for a reason.**

 **Warning: Unbeta'd. All mistakes are my own.**

* * *

 _The spirits of this place were starting to eat at me… I couldn't tell their motive or intent like I could on a normal day._

Before long, we separated from our entanglement. The rain was starting to bother me now that I was really noticing it; thousands of tiny blades pricking my skin.

 _It was made clear to us that red spirits were malevolent and wanted the death of all living things… We'd have to run away or do what they asked to keep out lives intact._

I almost missed the feeling of his strong body around me. I felt protected in his arms, not that I would admit that our loud. I didn't need him laughing at me for such a thing.

 _It was those white-ish blue spirits that were giving me the most trouble. Some seemed so innocent and want to help us, while others just wanted to watch us writhe in pain and agony._

We cleared the fence with an air between us. I wasn't sure how Shimada-senpai felt but I felt like I was on top of the world. My legs were wobbly and my heart was still racing as I brushed my wet bangs from my face.

Senpai was wringing out his hair. He took one of the bangles from his wrist – which I only now realized were hair elastics – and tied his wet hair into a messy ponytail. His bangs were left down so they could frame his face; he ran his fingers through them to ruffle them up so they wouldn't stick to his damp forehead.

Suddenly, without a word, he started to undo the belt of his pants, unclasping the buckle to let it free.

My face heated up as I could take my eyes away; why was he going to take his pants off for? "Shi-Shimada-senpai!" I cried, finally getting the sense to cover my eyes with my hands.

I heard him laugh but I didn't hear the clanking of his belt on the ground. I looked through my fingers to see him untucking his wet shirt. I watched him grab it from the back, pulling it off of his wet form. He caught my eyes with a smirk as he wringed out his shirt of water.

Not that I was looking at his movements…. I was more distracted by the model's lean body. He wasn't smiling, but his eyes told that he knew I was watching. His pale skin was like marble; taut and unblemished. His collarbone was defined as he flexed just a little too much as his eyes trained on my face. I could see the faint outline of abs in his flat stomach, lined with faint bruises that looked like he the marks of stab wounds…

Wait what?

My hands dropped from my face in horror. Senpai caught my stricken gaze, following my eyes as he too gasped in horror. His stomach was lined with meticulous bruises that could be taken as old stab wounds. They were concentrated in one area as if someone had stabbed him multiple times in anger.

"Wh-When did that happen…?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He shook his head, grinding his jaw as he tentatively reached out to touch them. He didn't seem to grimace, so they apparently didn't seem to hurt.

"I… I guess when Kizami-san threw me into the wall but… never had a bruise shaped like this before though."

I nod curtly, trying to replay the event in my mind. I could see the redhead getting punched several times in the gut by Kizami-senpai but never with the knife; it was only just his fist… So, unless he had some sort of brass knuckles or rings… but even then, would they make such a strange bunch of lines?

"I don't really care as long as they fade or I can cover them up with make-up… My manager hates it when I go to shoots with bruises all over me."

He redid his belt, his fingers trembling slightly, before bending over with a grunt to pick up his dress shirt. I meekly wrung out the bottom of my own shirt and skirt, not wanting to take either article off. Senpai hung his clothes from either shoulder as he stepped behind me, muttering incoherently in English under his breath. I felt his nimble fingers catch my hair, pulling it gently to void it of all water as he used the second of his three bands to tie it back.

His fingers felt nice as they expertly combed through my tangled hair. They gently tugged out any knots as he gently brushed my bangs forwards so they wouldn't get mixed in with the rest of my hair. His deft hands made quick work in tying my hair back into a high pony tail. I almost sighed in relief; it was nice to have my hair up and off my neck for once, even if it dripped water.

I was spun around so he could look me in the eyes. He seemed content with his work, fixing my bangs so they looked presentable. I had to advert my eyes away from his bare chest, finding sudden interest in the rotting roof above us.

"Y'know, if you had a bow and green hair, you'd almost look like Kirisaki-san…"

I wasn't sure how to take his words, but I could hear there was a strain in his voice. I didn't mention it for his own sake.

He stepped back, fixing his own hair into a tighter ponytail with a sigh. He tossed his sagging shirt on the rail as he favoured his collared shirt instead. He didn't bother buttoning the shirt as he fixed his winged pendant on his neck.

The bruises on his stomach only seemed to be emphasized against the white.

"We don't need to take that wet thing, do we?" he muttered, picking up his blazer.

I was starting to shiver as he draped the heavy fabric over my shoulders.

"You can take off your shirt if you'd like," he offered. "I'll even look away; you can just button up the blazer to cover yourself up."

His words were innocent but I shook my head. Taking off my wet shirt was probably ideal but I didn't feel comfortable walking around a murderous school partially naked, the only thing covering me being an oversized maroon blazer that barely covered me now.

"I'd… rather not…" I murmured softly as I slipped my arms into the jacket.

He shrugged his shoulders, backing off as he figured I could take care of myself. He instead looked around, eying the door at the other end of the walkway. I followed his gaze, wondering if the door was unlocked.

"We pretty much explored everything of this side of the school…"

The statement was somewhat false. I remembered seeing another hallway near the main entrance that lead deeper into the school, but I somewhat doubted there being a way out through there. The other side we didn't explore originally probably looped around to the first floor anyway.

"We can try… maybe we'll find something useful over here?"

We closed the gap between us and the door. My head felt heavy the closer we got to it, a headache forming. Shimada-senpai seemed to have sensed it too as he gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes.

"Should we…?"

I nod, reaching out to grab the handle. My skin felt like ice, and it wasn't from being wet either. I could feel something creeping up from behind us but I didn't have the energy to turn around. My hand froze mid-air as I struggled to breath. I heard Shimada-senpai's light pants, signifying he was sensing it too.

Then a gargle filled the air over the pounding rain.

We both turned around as a bolt of lightning streaked in the sky. Between us and the salvation of the first half of the school was a headless ghost.

She stood innocently enough. The spirit was shrouded in a white-ish blue mist, standing almost idly. The strap of her dress was slipping off her shoulder as her turtleneck sweater was splattered in what appeared to be blood. Her arms were close to chest in a scared child-like manner, one hand close to what was left of her jaw. From jawline up, the poor child had no head. Phantom blood oozed from the wound as it dripped into oblivion.

I felt my heart throb painfully. Who was cruel enough to murder a child? Let alone chop of their head in such a manner!

Shimada-senpai moved behind, not that I really cared. Ghosts were my thing after all.

As I stepped forward, I felt the model's hand on my shoulder. I didn't pay any mind to it as I relaxed myself, making it so I seemed as least threatening as possible.

"Hi there…" I greeted softly, hoping not to scare her. I wasn't sure if she was one of the malevolent spirits or the benevolent… She was more white than blue, but she didn't seem to fit the idea of older students being trapped in the school. In fact, it looked like she was part of the original school for primary students.

She said nothing – though I doubt she could if she wanted to. She instead played footsies with herself as she stood innocently in the middle of the walkway.

I debated on telling Senpai to try the door behind us, but my throbbing head told me it was a bad idea. I wanted to check out the rest of the original part of the school now, just in case we did miss something.

"Can… can me and my friend here pass you so we can go inside?"

Senpai didn't say anything at the term of "friend". He was probably too scared to say anything… that or he just wanted me to get rid of this ghost.

Her neck tilted to the side, blood oozing out onto the ground. I heard Shimada-senpai gulp in nausea but I was unbothered. There was something about phantom blood that didn't bother me; perhaps I was so used to seeing it or maybe because I knew they were already dead.

A rush of dread filled me when I remembered the other spirits of the school: they were all damned to feel the same level of pain in their last few moments in life as in death. My heart reached out for the child – who I could only assume was a girl by the dress. She must have been in a lot of pain from having her head severed off… and the blood in her lungs probably burned too.

I took a small step forward. I couldn't hesitate; if I hesitated, it would show her that I was afraid. If she thought I was afraid, then many things could happen.

She could get angry and want to attack us for fearing her. She was only a little girl after all; why would anyone be afraid of her, even if she was missing her head? Or she could disappear entirely, but I had a feeling she wasn't moving anytime soon.

She didn't seem to mind me moving, which was a good thing I suppose. She didn't advance on us like the girl in the red dress did, nor did she seem to be carrying any sort of weapon. The pocket on the front of her dress was too ripped and fragile to carry anything dangerous enough to seriously injure us.

"It's really cold out here…" I told her softly. "We would really like it if you'd let us pass… pretty please?"

The girl made no acknowledgement to my plead.

I decided to go a different tactic.

"Do you have a name?"

There was silence around us as the rain came down hard. There was another flash of lightening before thunder groaned overhead, but I held my ground.

The girl suddenly gargled, as if trying to speak.

 _Tsuji Tokiko,_ a little girl's voice supplied in my head.

I noted it was different than the one that told me to follow them.

"Tsuji Tokiko… is that your name?"

She nodded, more blood spilling out around her jaw.

I took a breath; at least I was making progress.

"How old are you, Tokiko-chan?"

There was another gulp and gargle before her voice came through my head, _Seven._

"Wow… Seven huh? That's a really big number. Being seven is so cool. That's almost half my age, did you know? I'm sixteen."

The gargle-giggling from earlier filled the air; I was certain Senpai could hear it too. I smiled gently at her; she didn't seem to be evil like the other girl we encountered, so I suppose that's something good.

"Tokiko-chan," I murmured softly, knowing I was treading light ground. Most spirits that came to me wanted to be appeased; perhaps that's what she wanted? "Do… you know what happened to you?"

I felt Shimada-senpai stiffen behind me. I could almost see him biting his lip to keep himself quiet, instead of yelling at me why I was asking such a useless question. I was grateful he let me do my work though.

The ghost never replied, rather standing still. Blood still oozed from her head as she brought her arms closer to her chest.

She tried speaking again before, _Come play with me_.

I bit my lip, thinking to myself. Tokiko-chan stayed where she was, waiting for my answer. I felt bad that I couldn't stay and help her; I wanted to ease her pain but I'm not sure if I could in such a dark place like this.

"I'm really sorry, Tokiko-chan… I really wish I could – I promise – but I have to look for my friends… They're somewhere in there and I would really like it if you would let us back inside… You could come with us if you want though. It could be like a big game of hide and seek – we can be the seekers!"

I felt her sadness radiate from her as she put her head forward, blood falling in that direction. She didn't seem to like the idea of us leaving her, and she didn't seem to want to help us either.

I took another step towards to hurting girl before I heard a slight gargle, _I'm sorry too…_

She looked back up at me, my eyes staring in the empty void where he eyes should be. Before I could question what she was talking about, another ghost formed beside her.

The boy was taller than her as he stood next to her tiny form. He also appeared white-washed with a touch of blue, but something told me he wasn't a good spirit. His sweater was ripped as blood oozed from his open chest. Blood dripped unnoticed from the boy's mouth, his eyes trying to catch me own.

 _Don't look into Ryou-kun's eyes…_

I found my mouth dry as I tried to warn Senpai but I couldn't find the words. I felt him shift behind me but I didn't really notice; I was too focused on not being drawn into the boy's eyes.

I found myself in a defensive stance in front the model. The two ghosts were unmoving in front of us, as if waiting for us to make a move first. Slowly, Tokiko-chan moved behind Ryou-kun, adverting her head away from me. The boy merely looked beyond me, possibly at the male behind me.

I never caught on until it was almost too late. Shimada-senpai pushed passed me, to my surprise. I cried out in surprise but he ignored me. He merely shuffled passed me like a zombie, his head trained down at the younger boy. I gasped, grasping my senses as I gripped onto the sleeve of his shirt.

"Senpai!"

A sharp slap sent me to the floor as he mumbled in English, eyes blank as his hand stayed in the air where it connected with my cheek. I felt tears well up in my eyes as he looked at me indifferent before going back to shuffling to the ghosts. A part of me felt betrayed, but then I remembered that it was Ryou-kun who had a hold of Senpai's mind.

I got up again, firmly planting myself in front of the advancing male. He didn't seem to notice as he shoved me aside, still muttering incoherently under his breath. I could see he was beginning to crack under the strain of the boy's control as blood began to drip from his nose.

"Shimada-senpai! Stop!"

This time I started to push back on him as he stepped forward. My blood pumped in my ears as my headache increased as I got closer to the ghosts. Senpai, being much stronger than me, pushed back on me, not bothering to put me to the side again. My feet slipped against the wood as I struggled to gain a footing.

I gasped as my tears began to fall. My body was ice as I thought what was going to happen. What was Ryou-kun going to do to Senpai if he reached him? What was Tokiko-chan doing? Why did she warn me…?

The pocket of the blazer suddenly felt like it was on fire as something exploded in it. Ryou-kun hissed, backing away as Shimada-senpai gasped, falling against me. I struggled to keep him to his feet as I turned my head to see that Ryou-kun would've been within arm's reach if he never stepped off to the side to catch his footing. Tokiko-chan was nowhere in sight but that didn't matter.

We had a clear path to the door, and the boy was temporarily stunned for whatever reason.

Without a word, I grabbed Senpai's hand and ran. He stumbled at first, cursing as he held his head with his other hand but I ignored his complaints and ran. I wasn't sure if we were being chased but I bolted through the doors, leading Shimada-senpai back into the school.

We ran passed the stairwell that lead up to the next floor. We ran down the hall, expertly avoiding any whole that could lead to our untimely demise. We quickly reached a four-way intersection by the main entrance. We paused here briefly, our breaths running ragged as I quickly formulated which way to go.

Voiding out the options of going to the exit and running behind us, I figured going right would be our best bet; I was sure going straight just lead upstairs in a big loop anyway.

We raced up the hall, not caring if we were still being chased. Adrenaline pulsed through our veins as we narrowly avoided another pit trap as I tugged Shimada-senpai along. It wasn't until we met another junction of corridors that we stopped, our breath escaping us as the fear fled.

I was doubled over on my knees as I struggled to breath. Senpai looked over his shoulder, trying to catch the small silhouette of the boy in blue but didn't seem to find him. The blood stopped oozing from his nose, but it left a streak where he never had a chance to wipe it away before.

I coughed harshly as he finally smeared it into the gauze of his bad hand. His eyes were back to normal, if not a bit more tired than before. He seemed to be sane, which was good.

My hand found its way into the blazer pocket.

My fingers grasped onto the two pieces of the amethyst I placed in there earlier. I don't remember breaking it, but the gem seemed to be duller than before. My eyes widen with the thought that it protected is from whatever Ryou-kun had planned.

I tossed the broken gem away, figuring it was a one-time use. I did a once-over of Shimada-senpai, noting that the bruises on his stomach looked darker, but I counted that as the lighting.

"You alright, Senpai?"

He jerked at the sound of my voice penetrating the air. He nodded once, licking his lips before he found himself look back at me from the wall. "Yeah. I think…"

He sounded winded much like myself. I nod once, taking in my surroundings before I heard him speak up again.

"Uh thanks… for you know, _that_."

I was taken off guard but I was turned away from him so he couldn't see me. I felt my cheeks warm as I shrugged jerkily, trying to be as dismissive as possible. "It's what I'm best at."

"Maybe we should call you Ghostbuster instead… Or maybe the Ghost Whisperer."

"We?" I snorted with a winded laugh.

He said nothing more but I could only assume he had a shit-eating grin plastered on his face.

I turned my attention away from him and back to the school. We were now at a three-way intersection with a corridor t-boning the one we came from. I tried to look in both directions of the new one, but found I couldn't see much through the dark haze. A part of me wished I had a flashlight.

Senpai came up behind me, trying to see what I was looking at. He didn't seem to see much else as he sighed, turning to me while he stretched with a groan.

"Where next?"

"Why don't you choose for once? Didn't I choose last time?"

He groaned, pushing out his chest as he stretched his arms into the air. He lazily fixed his ponytail, and in response I fiddled with my own. My hair was still wet but it was drying; I was just thankful it didn't freeze.

"Yeah… But I don't feel like making life-changing decisions here. If we walk into death, then I have to right to blame you for it."

I narrowed my eyes at him accusingly as he just shrugged back with an innocent smile. I rolled my eyes at the model, sighing as I weighed our options in my head.

We could go left which we don't know what's there, or we could go right which we also don't know what's there. Decisions, decisions…

"Let's try going left."

He gave a soundless nod as we fell into the familiar actions of walking. I set the pace; the running aggravated my ankle to no end… I think it's swollen even worse now. I made a mental note that we'd take a rest soon to examine our injuries.

This end of the hall was short as in no time we could see the adjacent wall. I felt a wall of despair hit us as we took a step closer but said nothing of it. We tried the door that lead to classroom 4-A but found it was just another sculpture in the wall.

I gulped audibly when we approached the end. There was a lone double door on one of the walls while the rest of the space was filled with a discarded desk and holes in the rotting floor.

I could feel darkness seep through the cracks of the door despite the protective charms on it. I could feel something terribly bad happened behind those doors; it had the same air that a murder scene would have when a spirit lead me back to their place of death. I could almost see dark entrails writher out between the cracks. I didn't dare take a step closer.

"What's this all about?"

I'm not sure the extent he could see what I did, but I could only assume he did sense the darkness that came from inside.

"Are those protective charms?"

The slips of paper were brought to my attention. True to his words, different protective charms were nailed to the doors in attempts to keep the evil in. I recognized some of the charms as some still used today, and a few that seemed to have faded into nonexistence overtime. What was striking was that most of them were traditionally used to ward off powerful demons and evil spirits.

Shimada-senpai crept closer to the door while maintaining a safe distance from it. He squinted his eyes as he struggled to look at it in the dark.

"I… think that's supposed to be a basement… Holy fuck, it looks nailed shut. If we had a nail puller we could probably get inside…"

"I… don't think that's a very good idea… Those charms are used for some dangerous things."

Shimada-senpai hummed, "Yeah you're right. Besides, this isn't like one of Katayama-san's or Ohkawa-san's games where you always manage to have a crowbar on you."

We left the basement alone as we went back the way we came. I'm sure the model heard my sigh of relief when we left the area as the heaviness left my shoulders, allowing me to breath normally again. We silently went the other way we could have to begin with, passing another door that we checked to see if it was locked – it was.

"I wonder if these rooms actually exist or if they are just there to taunt us with the possibility of it being real."

I pondered his words. "Huh… You never know, I suppose… This school is constantly changing by the looks of it… I wouldn't be surprised if the doors suddenly become operational over time."

"It would suck to be stuck in one of those rooms without a door I bet."

"Really Senpai?" I exasperated, pinching the bridge of my nose. I don't need that thought in my head.

He snickered, grinning cheekily at me. Without a word, his slung an arm around my shoulders and gave me a squeeze. His shirt hung open at the action; the bruises only seemed to be getting darker. I wanted to tell him but thought it would be easier for him not to notice; there was already enough on our minds that we don't need anything more distracting us.

We came to another dead-end much like the other side. What caught my eyes was a door painted red that stuck out like a sore thumb. It was out of place at first until my mind supplied a possible answer: _exit_.

I approached the door, hopes high. Maybe the school had emergency exits? I know the main entrance was just a trap but maybe there was some sort of portal that lead back our world? It was a farfetched idea but my mind was reeling at the possibility of going home. Maybe that's why we haven't found anyone else; they already found this secret door home.

The sign on the door knocked my spirits down just a bit.

"Custodian's Closet?" Senpai grumbled in my ear. "I was hoping it was going to be a way out…"

"Is there exits in custodian's closets?" I asked, running my fingers over the wood. It _looked_ like a real door… I could hear something coming from the other side – static from an old T.V?

"How many janitor closets do you think I've been in, Kouhai?" he snapped at me, backing away grumbling. He seemed upset that this wasn't an exit but rather another part of this cursed school.

I wasn't deterred; you could never know in a place like this. I tried to force open the door with a grunt, finding it stuck in place. I tried again, the wood groaning beneath my fingertips. I puffed in annoyance; it was giving a bit but I wasn't strong enough.

"Hey Senpai. Want to give me a hand with this?" I puffed.

Maybe Senpai's crazy theory about the rooms without doors is right…

" _He's a little… busy, right now."_

The voice made me freeze in my tracks. It was disembodied, echoing into the school in a way I've heard many times before.

I slowly spun on my heels, trying not to seem like I was dangerous to the voice.

Shimada-senpai was scratching at his neck like he couldn't breathe, spitting and sputtering as he tried. He seemed frozen in place as his eyes were wide as they cried out to me for help.

The ghost next to him radiated red. She was still as a statue as she glared daggers in my direction. She had a bob cut hairstyle with a barrette keeping her bangs from her eyes. She wore a sweater vest and a long-sleeved blouse, her tie neatly tucked inside the vest. She wore a pleated skirt and a pair of flats with socks covering her ankles. The entirety of her was coloured in hues of red and orange, making it difficult to tell what colours were supposed to represent what.

I shifted on the balls of my feet, looking between Senpai and the girl. He was still struggling to breath as he clawed his neck, trying to get rid of the force that was pressing on it.

"Let him go," I demanded swiftly, my voice steady and firm.

" _Why? Why should I? Death never let me go when I asked… why should I let go because you asked me to?"_

"What do you want, then?"

The girl flickered before turning to look at something behind her. I followed her gaze, seeing the decomposing body sprawled on the ground that I never noticed before. The smell of decomposing flesh hit my nose like a wall; I was kicking myself for not noticing until now. I could see it was the ghosts body; the corpse was wearing a tan sweater vest with a white blouse, a pink skirt covering her thighs. Her white hair was painted red as it sprawled out from her dead body.

" _Read it_."

A force from behind me pushed me towards the body without my consent. I suddenly found myself kneeling in front of the corpse, holding my breath as I was hit with the smell. Maggots were already eating through her flesh as they squirmed around in an eye socket while the other eye was left untouched and unseeing.

"R-Read it…?" I repeated, unable to tear my eyes away.

I heard Senpai gasp more, the force on him growing stronger. I looked up to see his cheeks fluster red as sweat dripped from his temple.

" _I swallowed it. Get it out before you friend dies,"_ was her final warning.

I swallowed my breath as I felt something bitter bile at the back of my throat. I steeled myself as I quickly deciphered what the girl meant.

She wanted me to read something in order to save Senpai… but she swallowed it. That meant I had to tear into her rotting flesh to reach her stomach…

Breathing deeply, I lifted up the corpse's clothes. I swallowed when maggots were thrown from the fabric but I ignored them as I revealed her pale skin. It was already beginning to rot and tear so it was easy – too easy – for me to dig my fingers nails into her dead flesh. I tore the poor girl open with tears in my eyes as the decomposing gases from within her hit me full force, nearly knocking me out. The only thing that kept me conscious was the subtle gasps and groans from Shimada-senpai as he fought for his every breath. Panting, I rummaged through the organs of the girl until I found something that was distinctly stomach shaped and tore into it.

I never realized how bloody my hands got as I found the wet paper, nearly ripping it open as I raced to read it. I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into, but I was about to do whatever I could to save my companion.

" _Out loud, so I know you're reading it…_ "

I nod once, licking my lips as I found my voice.

"… It hurts…" I began. "Having the tendons in the heels of your feet sliced out is so excruciating… I'd rather my feet be cut off altogether than have to bear this pain…" I pause, glancing up at Shimada-senpai. He was beginning to grow blue so I hurried it up. "My only solace… is knowing that when I die… it'll stop hurting…" I thumbed the page, my bloody hands leaving sticky thumbprints. "... but sis… before I go… I want to see you one more time… I want to hug you… I don't want to die alone, sis… I don't want to die at all… I'm scared… My dear sis…"

" _The pain never stopped, you know…_ "

I glared at the girl who looked solemn now, pain etched across her face. Blood dripped from behind her, and I could only assume was coming from her heels that she wrote about slicing open.

"Let him go."

She ignored me, looking to the side as she brushed her hair out of her eyes with a shake of her head. " _I died… alone and in pain… Even now, I'm alone and in pain."_

I tucked the paper in the hand of her corpse, covering her gaping with her clothes. I stood up shakily, still thrown for a loop of digging into the stomach of a dead girl.

"I… understand that… But you said you'd let him go if I read it."

" _It's not fair… you know? I had to die alone… My sis… she wasn't with me. She didn't care. She left me alone to die a painful death… But you… If he was to die, you'd be with him… You'd keep him warm until his final, pained breath…"_

"Let him go."

I was starting to become anxious. Her grasp on Shimada-senpai was becoming stronger by the second as she glowed brighter. He was no longer able to breath at all as he reached out to me, eyes begging for me to help him.

"… Ai… ka…"

I felt something snap in me. The ghost wouldn't keep her end of the deal even though I kept mine. I wanted to do nothing more than to strangle to life out of her but she was already dead. "Let him go, you bitch!" I screamed at her. Tears were falling down my face as I trembled in anger, glaring daggers of hatred towards her.

I was scared I was going to lose him because a temperamental ghost wouldn't let him go.

She scoffed dismissively, snarling at me. She gave me one last look before simply stating, " _I hope you two die in a pit of fire."_

She phased out of existence as the male was sent to his knees, gasping for air. He coughed harshly as he fell forward, one hand keeping him up while the other massaged his neck.

I crawled over to him in an instant, all other things pushed away from my mind. My bloody hands helped support him as I dragged him to his feet as he continued coughing.

"… Kou… hai…"

I hushed him, dragging him away from the girl's body as fast as I could. Within seconds we were running away once again.

* * *

 **I just want to point out that there was foreshadowing in the last chapter. Considering that I wasn't aware I was going to route I am now before, there won't be as much foreshadowing as I'd like there to be, but there's going to be a few events between now and later that will be foreshadowed... so watch out for them.**

 **If you played BoS then there was also foreshadowing in this chapter as well, I suppose. c:**

 **I hope you're all enjoying so far though. Next chapter is going to be mainly filler as we explore our two protagonist and see them develop their relationship further... because that's always nice.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry this took so long. I got distracted with exams and overall laziness and writers block. Well this is the next chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Corpse Party. Aika is my own character**

 **Warning: This is an M rated fic. Blood and gore is a thing**

 **Warning: This fic is unbeta'd. All mistakes are my own.**

 **Edit: Two days later I'm rereading it and I realized that I uploaded the wrong document... I ended up writing a slightly different ending but the original ending got posted instead... Not sure how it happened but here it is.**

* * *

 _Sometimes you just got to take a step back from everything. You've got to let go of the stress as you take a deep breath._

My tears were dried onto my cheeks as we ran as fast as we could. I wasn't sure if the ghost was going to follow us but I didn't want to take the chance.

 _Even though we should be focused on getting out, we were exhausted. We needed to take a breather to make sure we weren't going insane from the darkness of the school._

I don't think we made it far. I was already weak and tired from all the running around we did and dragging a wheezing Shimada-senpai behind wasn't easy.

 _When you decide to stop and smell the roses, you tend to learn different things about them – whether it's the softness of their petals, or the gentle secrets they whisper in your ears._

We eventually collapsed into wheezing piles of mess. Shimada-senpai was using the wall to support himself while I doubled over on my knees, my legs wobbling dangerously. He saw me struggle and offered a hand of support. I took it gratefully as he gently pulled me into his arms. Suddenly I found myself being dragged to the floor as he slid down the wall.

We stayed panting on the floor as I struggled to remember where we were so we didn't get lost. After running from the spirit, we turned down the hall away from the basement, considering it was a dead end. We haven't come across the main entrance yet, so we were still in the hall that connected the front of the school with the back.

I felt Shimada-senpai rub gently circles into my back as I allowed myself to slump into him. He didn't seem to mind; he shifted beneath me to get more comfortable. He felt warm compared to my still damp body – my shirt and skirt have yet to dry. I felt safe in his strong embrace; safer from the spirits than any protection spell could. I buried my head into his chest, sighing deeply as I breathed in his scent; his cologne seemed to be wearing off, being replaced with the smell of sweat but it didn't really bother me. At least he didn't smell like blood.

Speaking of which, I looked down at my hands, finding them still coated in the crimson liquid. My front and skirt was also covered too; I couldn't help but shiver in disgust. Seeing I had nothing left to lose, I wiped my hands in my shirt, drying to rid them of the girl's blood. It didn't come off very well, but at least most of it was gone. I could still feel her flesh caked under my fingertips.

Senpai must have noticed my discomfort as he grunted to me, "You alright…?"

"Huh…? Shouldn't I be asking you that…?"

I felt his sigh then shrug. I heard something thump against the wall, realizing it was his head resting against the wall. He looked down at me through half-lidded eyes.

"I guess… But stop avoiding the question. You were the one who had to dig through a dead body to read some stupid note…"

He had a point. It wasn't every day that you were told to dig through the body of a malevolent spirit while they had your friend held captive. I could still hear the maggots in my ears, crawling in the flesh as they helped decompose it. I could still smell the rot in my nose as I desperately tore into her. I could see her dead eye just watch me as I ripped open her guts like a monster just to read what she swallowed.

"I'm fine…" I lied softly.

He knew I was lying but was too tried to call me out on it. What else was I supposed to say? It wouldn't make the situation any easier if I told the truth and said I wasn't. It was just as well as to lie and move on than to try and work out how to make one feel better with bittersweet lies.

"What about you? How's your throat?"

He grimaced, rubbing his free hand on his neck. I watched his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed before he answered, "Sore, but I'll live."

The silence enveloped us like a blanket as we sat there, trying to conserve our energy. Now that we had water in us, the main task for us now was to find a way out… if there was one. I tried not to let the idea of there not being a way out of this hell consume me; things like that will make you go insane.

I listened closely as thunder rumbled above us. I couldn't hear the raindrops hit off the school but I could only assume it was still raining. A part of me still wanted to go back out and explore the second wing of the school but I didn't want to have another run in with Ryou-kun, or anything else potentially dangerous.

Shimada-senpai shifted beneath me. He propped himself properly against the wall as he sat up, dragging me with him. He sat me properly in his lap with a groan; I could feel the air that escape him on my neck. He didn't say a word when he gently pushed me forward, his hands finding their way into my ponytail. He took my wet locks out of the band, allowing it to fall free against my back again.

"So… Now what…?" he murmured softly into my ear.

I shrugged; I wasn't sure what to say anymore. There was so many topics we could have discussions on but what would be the point? Our words would be pointless sounds in the void of the school. I suppose that it would help us from going insane from the vacuum of the school but…

I felt his large hands start to detangle my hair. He didn't pull hard as he unknotted it; his fingers were deft and practiced as he worked it out. It felt nice as he gently massaged my head as he did; he helped me release any negative thoughts from my mind as I relaxed into his touch. I could feel him grab strands of my hair, twisting them together as he began to braid.

"We could… just talk, I guess."

I heard him grunt, "About?"

"Random things, I suppose."

I heard him hum, then we fell into silence again. I wracked my brain for anything we could talk about; conversations starters like "how's the weather" were pretty much useless as we both knew what the weather was out like now.

"You know, you sort of blew up back there…" Shimada-senpai said into the air with a touch of a smirk.

I felt my body freeze at his words. I wanted to forget about the encounter we just had; I never lost my temper before with a ghost. It was new territory for me – I was always patient when it came to the afterlife. Something about that girl though – perhaps the fact that Senpai's life on the line – made me lost my cool.

"Uh yeah… I guess I did…" I reinforced, unsure where to go with it.

I felt him shrug, "It's weird to hear you curse… it's almost hot."

He pulled gently on my head as he continued to braid my hair slowly. I was glad he couldn't see the face I made at his words; hot? Why did cursing make me physically attractive? Was that why Senpai always cursed? To seem more attractive to people?

"Though… I don't think it really suits you; oh by the way, French, fish or regular?"

He caught me off guard again. The way he was able to switch between topics so rapidly and dismissively struck me… that and I had no idea what he was talking about.

"What? French? Fish?" He wasn't talking about food, was he?

"Braids, Kouhai. What type of braid do you want? I'm just randomly playing with your hair," he sighed, running his fingers through his work, detangling it.

"Oh um… I… really don't care…"

I heard no sounds from him so I assumed he pursed his lips in annoyance. I felt him comb out my hair once more before he went back to work.

"So…" I called into the air. I wanted to ask him about his skill with hair, but I wasn't sure how to word it. He allowed me silence so I could piece together a proper sentence. "You're… pretty good at braiding hair…"

I heard him scoff, "Well I'd hope so. I do want to become a hairstylist after all."

"You weren't kidding about that…"

"You thought I was?"

"Uh… No not really… I just never really thought you'd be good at handling hair."

He paused for a second as he tugged a knot from my hair. "Well, you know… You don't really choose a profession without really knowing how to do it before hand, I guess."

I nod, which earned a scowl from the model. I don't know why I was so shocked; I was good at communicating with ghosts, especially since I wanted to become an international paranormalist.

"How… did you become so good at it?"

"What, braiding?"

"Well, that… and everything else with hair. Styling, stuff like that."

I wasn't expecting a straight answer. Shimada-senpai seemed to be a reserved despite his rambunctious lifestyle. Whenever I asked him something too personal before, he'd blow me off.

Needless to say, I was shocked when he responded, "I learned it from my Mom."

I didn't have long to process this. If I hesitated too long he'd take my silence wrongly and close back up again. I had to be swift if I wanted to keep this connection going.

"She taught you?" It was a simple question to his response. It shouldn't warrant too much of a retreat.

"Yeah… She's an American actress who married my dad. She used to teach me how to do her hair for outings instead of getting a hairdresser to do it – she always hated hairdressers… I sort of just picked up with skill overtime."

I felt overcome with joy. I could hear the honesty in his words and it made me happy that he was opening up to me. My mind was running a mile a minute, thinking of other questions I could ask him before he closed his walls again.

"What about you? I guess the paranormal thing was always a thing."

I almost took the bait before I realized that he was turning tables on me. He was redirecting the conversation back to me which was weird; someone like Senpai loves talking about himself. Why would he change the topic back to me when he could talk about himself all the time?

"Why'd you do that?" my mouth asked before my brain could process.

"Do what?"

I sighed. I couldn't turn back now. If I said nothing then he'd get incredibly pissed at me so I decided to roll with it. I'd rather him just blow me off for this than to lie to him.

"You… changed the subject back to me."

"And… you're bothered by that?"

"Well… Sort of, I guess? I just find it odd…"

"Odd?"

"Yeah. Like whenever it gets too personal, you change the topic or change it back on me. Why do you do that?"

He fell silent as he worked his fingers through my hair. My heart was pounding in my chest as I waited for him to formulate his response. He seemed to be taken off-guard by my accusation, but I couldn't see his face to be sure of it.

"I… don't know. I guess it's just a thing I do to keep nosy people from getting to close."

I swallowed, hearing the malice in his voice. He suddenly sighed.

"When you're a guy like me, Kouhai, who dates every other person, you have to do things in order to protect yourself. How many of my girlfriends do you think actually met my parents? Let alone know anything too personal like who taught me to braid hair…"

His logic actually made a lot of sense. There was no way someone like him would have his heart on his sleeve for everyone to see. He'd learn tactics to keep himself safe while being subtle so no one would notice or question his antics. He seemed uncomfortable that I noticed, but I suppose that was understandable.

Then there was the fact I now knew more about him than his ex-girlfriends. That made me feel good; superior in a way. A part of me wanted to know if Kirisaki-senpai knew that side of him, or if she only saw the perverted narcissist he allowed everyone to see.

"Anyway, seriously. You and ghosts. How goes it?"

"How… goes it?"

"Yeah. Like, what's it like seeing ghosts on a regular basis? Do you see them at school?"

I found my voice caught in my throat. I shouldn't be too surprised – what else are we supposed to talk about in a haunted school besides ghosts?

"It's… different, I suppose. Like it's not too out of the norm for me to see them on a regular basis." I felt his hands run through the braid he made again, starting over once more. "As for seeing them in our school… not really. Ghosts rarely leave their area of haunting…"

He said nothing so I assumed he nodded or was contemplating my words.

"Guess you don't like hospitals then… having to see people die and turn into ghosts all the time would be fucking draining."

I felt ice cold at his words. While true I did stay away from hospitals as much as possible, I never really witnessed something such like he described… until earlier.

"Actually… Katayama-san was the first person I've ever watched…" I couldn't finish my sentence.

Shimada-senpai froze behind me. "Wait what? Really?"

"Yeah… Well, I tend to focus exclusively on the afterlife… Not the living who are dying."

"Why not? You could make a fortune helping superstitious people pass."

"I'm not in it to make money," I snapped defensively.

"Sorry," he dismissed.

"Besides, it's not like everyone needs help passing…"

"Not everyone turns into a ghost?" he inquired.

"Well… no. I don't know that, but some people are able to pass through this world and into the next without issue. It's just those with baggage that needs the counselling."

"Got it. You're really just a ghost councilor."

I gave an exasperated sigh, earning a chuckle from the redhead.

"So… Katayama-san… What happened when he…?"

Neither of us could say it. Neither of us could say that Katayama-senpai was dead. How could we, when just hours earlier he was alive and well. Perhaps he would still be alive if he never got dragged om here like the rest of us…

I suddenly felt forty years older. It was hard to watch, let alone talk about. The hardest thing about the event wasn't his actual death – it was Ohkawa-senpai's reaction. He was so adamant that his friend was going to be okay. He was ignorant to the fact that everything wasn't going to be fine because it was his best friend on the line. He was ignorant to the to the fact that his best friend was dying and died; he still argued with everything he had that he was alright.

Then Katayama-senpai just left. He drifted off without even a bat of an eye towards Ohkawa-senpai. He didn't even care that he was leaving his best friend alone with his rotting body, still doting over the chilling flesh. Katayama-senpai just floated off into the void without any regard for those he was leaving behind.

"He… just left. He didn't even glance in Ohkawa-san's direction." My description was brief but it did its job.

Senpai fell silent at my words; I guess he was trying to make sense of them. It was a weird thought; why would you leave your best friend all alone with your bloody corpse.

"This place is just so fucked up…"

He was breathless. Perhaps he was thinking my thoughts and couldn't make sense of any of it. Maybe he was thinking of something like that happening to him – dying then have no regard for those he was leaving behind. Perhaps he was thinking about how dark dying here must be if Katayama-senpai would just leave his friend all alone such as he did.

His fingers released my hair. I was almost disappointed until I felt his arms wrap around my body and pull me towards him. I fell back into his broad chest while his chin rested on the top of my head. I felt him exhale through his nose shakily as his thumb idly stroked my arm. I said nothing, allowing him to calm down.

He was clearly upset about the situation, but I didn't know what to say or do to make him feel better. I tore through my thoughts, looking for anything that could be a safe topic to start with. I almost gasped when I remembered something I had wanted to ask about. I stayed mute for moments longer, allowing him more time to gather himself before I grated him with questions again.

"Can… I ask you a question…?" I finally asked into the air.

"You just did," I felt him smirk into my hair.

I glared at the wall in front of me, silently wishing he could see my face so he could see I wasn't amused. I felt him fall against the wall, dragging me down with him.

He sighed heavily yet again. "Okay fine. What is it?"

"What's with the paper scrap in your name tag?"

"Paper scrap?" he repeated.

"Yeah… You seemed pretty stressed out about making sure you had it earlier…"

"Oh. That thing."

He fell quiet, and for a second, I thought he wasn't going to say anything about it. After a long period of silence that was accompanied with a metronome of thunder, he spoke again, "It's part of that stupid charm I did."

I was almost thrown for a loop, wondering what he meant by "stupid charm", when my brain supplied the answer.

" _Believe it or not, I took part in the Sachiko Ever After charm with the others."_

I had almost forgot about that exchange from the infirmary. It had been the first time Shimada-senpai opened up to me, but immediately backed away when he was running his mouth. I remembered picking up on it, but I wished I had done something about it then. I could've gotten him to open up sooner if I picked up on it.

"What does the charm even do?"

I was curious. To be fair, I never heard of the charm before. I suppose it's just some sort of passing fad that teenagers made in order to mess with their friends.

"Well, if you do it right, you stay friends with the other participants forever… hence why I wanted to laugh at them when it failed."

"What does the paper scrap have to do with it?"

"Oh… I don't really know. We had to grab this paper doll or something, do a strange chant so many times and pull the paper apart. You're supposed to keep your piece safe if you want the charm to work… I guess I just got caught up in the moment and freaked out when I couldn't find it. Like I said, I could care less about the charm."

He did it again. He dismissed his involvement in it again without a second thought. A part of me wanted to just take his word for it; his entire personality made it very believable that he didn't care, but there was a small strain in his voice. He sounded too gruff than he should have, appeared too reminiscent.

I let it slide. He dismissed it so obviously he didn't want to talk about it. It made me feel happy that I could deduce how he really felt; everyone else would've probably just went with it and ignore his words.

"So… Did it work?"

"Well how am I supposed to know? Urabe-san said that there were repercussions if we did it wrong but then we got dragged in here the minute after… I know _I_ didn't do it wrong… So, I don't know if this is our fuckin' punishment or not. If it is, then that charm is not fuckin' worth it."

The idea of someone messing up the charm and sent in here sounded too cruel. Despite his claim, I couldn't help but wonder if Shimada-senpai had anything to do with it possibly failing as he wanted to see it fail to begin with. I didn't want to see bad of him, especially since he was my only companionship, but I couldn't shake the feeling.

"Who's to say we failed and this is our punishment anyway? I mean, you're here. Clearly you didn't fail some charm to get here. You don't even know how you got here."

I had to bite my tongue. I did know how I got here – my mother turned into a little girl ghost accompanied with a headless ghost and a little boy… who were strikingly familiar.

I ground my jaw when I realized I recognized Ryou-kun and Tohkiko-chan from my memory. They were there when I was dragged in against my will. I could only wonder if my mother – Yuki – was here was well. I hadn't seen her yet, but that doesn't mean she isn't here.

This new knowledge burned on my tongue as I fought the urge to tell Senpai. I calmed my rapid thoughts as I tried to bring them back to the conversation at hand – I'll just contemplate about the ghosts later.

"Maybe it was just a coincidence… I don't think something that a teenager made up would create such a mess…"

"Yeah… That's what I'm trying to convince myself… but apparently, this charm is "the real deal,"" he snorted, obviously mimicking someone when his voice went an octave higher than normal. "Well, that's what Urabe-san said anyway. Got it from some supernatural blog by some chick. What was her name again? Saenoko or something."

I knew almost instantly who he was talking about.

Saenoki Naho was a well-known paranormalist who was still in high school. Her blog was popular amongst people of all ages who had an interest in the supernatural, including myself. While I never met her, Saenoki-san was well respected in her field. It was said she had a gift for the paranormal, which made me wonder if she could see ghosts like myself. I never had the chance to ever ask her that myself as her blog went inactive after a final post about some charm she found.

I suppose if we ever did meet, we wouldn't really see eye to eye as our views of the paranormal were different; I was actively seeking to appease the spirits while she would rather study them for her research.

I thought back to the last thing she posted being the charm. It wasn't really my thing; I never had a need for charms. I haven't checked up on the blog in a while myself; I've been busy with assignments and my own investigations to really find the time.

It was a chilling thought that Saenoki-san posted the charm and mysteriously disappeared. It was more disturbing that the charm was found on a well-known paranormal blog which was ran by someone who was wise and well respected. The fact that it _could_ be the reason Shimada-senpai and his friends, along with countless other victims, were stuck in here didn't settle well with me.

Saenoki-san wouldn't do that on purpose, would she? It was just a coincidence… right?

"I lost you again, didn't I?"

I hadn't even noticed I zoned out. My thoughts distracted from me from the real world yet again.

"Sorry Senpai… I just –"

"I take it you know who this Saenoko person is?"

"Saenoki Naho-san," I corrected him. "And yeah… I followed some of her stuff – mainly because she was so well informed about the afterlife. She had some good theories and sort of helped me cope with my own gifts…"

"Cool I guess. I assume she's like some sort of idol to you?"

"I… Not really… She would rather study paranormal anomalies while I would just appease them and help them pass. While I do respect her work, I don't think we would ever really be good friends due to our drastic views on the afterlife…"

"Oh… I guess I shouldn't assume things then," he chuckled sheepishly, before continuing in English " _It makes an ass out of you and me…_ "

I tilted my head back so he could get the idea I was trying to look at him. "What does that mean?"

"Huh? Oh, right. You don't speak English. You really should, Kouhai. It's a pretty handy skill, especially if you want to travel the world. English is pretty popular in most other countries."

I knew he was avoiding the question. I almost let him get away with it. I did make a note that he did have a point, and I should probably invest time into learning English for the future, I didn't let him drop the topic.

"What does it mean, Senpai?"

"Curious little bunny, aren't we?" he chuckled yet again. "Fine. It's just an English saying about assume. You wouldn't really understand unless you know the English language."

"Oh…" I filled the air.

I wished I knew English so I could catch the little snippets that Senpai would say every now and then. I couldn't help but think that perhaps he felt left out sometimes, being the only one in his group of friends understanding English. It could be helpful at times, being able to say things that other couldn't understand; I could only imagine that someone such as Senpai would do such a thing to say things that weren't all that nice. But it had to get lonely, and it must be a good feeling when someone got your jokes and quips.

I thought back to times when he spoke English instead of Japanese. He did it quite often; it was almost as if it was his first language instead of Japanese.

My mouth moved faster than my brain: "Did you learn English from your mother?"

He didn't move beneath me. He contemplated my question, perhaps analyzing his options.

"Yeah…" he finally admitted slowly. His voice was low and cold as he calculated his every word. "She's taught me since I was a little kid."

I was treading into unfamiliar territory for him. I had to tread light so I didn't step on a mine and blow everything away. I had to be careful if I wanted him to stay opened up to me; I could tell he was ready to throw his door to his heart shut at the sign of any danger.

My lips parted slightly as I closed my eyes. I couldn't wait too long; he would take it the wrong way. I had to be smart with my next question: I could either go deeper into his personal life and experience backlash or play it safe and back away a little to give him space.

"Oh. Well… could you tell me what _kyute_ means then?"

I felt a rush of happiness wash over me as I felt him laugh against me. I was glad I chose the safe route as his melodious laughter filled the empty school. I felt lighter as he shook against my form as he hugged me tighter, burying his face into my hair as he tried to stifle his laughter. I wished I could listen to him forever instead of the residual moans of the school.

"You. It's what you are," he grinned into my hair before he leaned down to kiss my temple. My stomach flipped at the gesture.

"M-Me?" I stuttered out.

"Yes. You're _cute_."

I bowed my head down as I squeezed my eyes tight, blushing furiously. This roused another set of laughs from Senpai as he observed my reaction.

"That doesn't tell me what it means, Senpai…" I argued weakly, trying to stop my heart from beating so fast.

"Yes, it does," he mouthed into my temple. " _You're very cute,"_ he continued in English.

"I… don't know what any of that means…"

"You know, I think you would totally watch this one American T.V. series if you could speak English."

He was doing it again. I wondered if it was out of habit for him to change the subject whenever it involved him. It must have happened often as he ran through the same steps every other day with a new girl.

I really wanted to call him out on it but I was curious what he was talking about.

"Oh…?" I finally voiced.

"Mm. Never watched it myself, but there's this show that came out a few years ago that's getting pretty popular."

I almost squirmed in my seat. I swear he was purposely avoiding saying the name to see my reaction.

"Well? What's the name?"

"Hm? Oh yeah. It's called _Supernatural_ … I'm not sure what it's about exactly but it's about hunting things that aren't… natural? Like demons, and ghosts and shit."

It certainly peaked my interest. I shifted in Senpai's lap to get more comfortable; his lips never really left my temple as he hummed softly into the skin. His hands gingerly caressed my arms as he gently rocked us back and forth.

I wished I knew English so I could watch the show. It sounded interesting, even in spite of his brief description. I had to remember to check it out when we escape… and hope there was a Japanese translation.

"I'll… definitely look into it," I acknowledged when I broke from my thoughts. "But don't think I never forgot you never told me what _kyute_ meant," I added adamantly with a huff.

He laughed again, bringing a smile to my face. He kissed my temple again, another bubble of happiness flooding my body. He moved his lips down so they ghosted over my ear, nibbling at the lobe.

"You're so cute…" he admitted warmly, almost dreamily.

I nearly pulled out of his grasp at his words. He froze underneath me, signifying he hadn't meant to say it out loud… or perhaps in Japanese.

I almost smiled. "That's what it means?" I asked cheekily.

"What? No," he replied defiantly. "I… said you're so scary."

I grinned, allowing myself to relax my entire body against the model. He didn't reject my advancements as he sighed in defeat, idly nodding his head.

"I don't know what you're smiling about, Kouhai. I said you were scary. You should be sad or something. Maybe we should get your head checked… unless that's your aim in life – to be considered scary."

I let it slide, feeling that I wasn't going to win this argument. He seemed pretty adamant about being right – it was part of his character. Even in school, he seemed pretty set on proving he was the best out of his friends. Countless times I could remember snippets of broken conversations of Shimada-senpai saying or doing things to prove his superiority. Most of it was directed to Kirisaki-senpai, while his fuel seemed to be with Kizami-senpai.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized what a one-sided rivalry he had with him. Kizami-senpai never really did anything to warrant such a reaction from Senpai before we found out how messed up he was. I was curious, and since we were going on a streak, I decided to ask.

"So… what's with the rivalry between you and Kizami-senpai…?"

"Why are you asking?" he retorted defensively.

I nearly sighed. I suspected he was going to close himself off again without further discussion. "I… was just thinking about how you used to try to prove yourself with him in school… People used to talk about your antics."

It was pretty well known that Shimada-senpai would get into trouble often. While he never did anything too drastic, many of times he would end up with detentions at the end of the day. He was famous for vandalizing, as well as skipping many classes and mouthing off to teachers. On top of that, he was always doing outlandish things to prove himself within his group of friends; rumors spread like wildfire every time he brought Kizami-senpai in his schemes.

"That's a strange train of thought…" he admitted slowly, ever so careful. "I seriously wonder how you come up with these crazy thoughts of yours."

I nod curtly. He wasn't going to talk about it, which I was okay with. I knew it was a long shot; I was happy with what I got out of him. Who knows: maybe we'll become better friends once we get out of here… Nothing like bonding over being trapped in a haunted school.

I allowed us to drift into silence as my fingers drew patterns into the dusty floor. I stared blankly at the adjacent wall, trying to make out the colour of the chipping paint. The haze was ever present, blocking my sight from seeing too far down the hall. I found myself glad there wasn't any ghosts or decomposing bodies nearby.

"We're stuck in a haunted school anyway…" Shimada-senpai suddenly spoke into thin air. "I mean, it's not like you would tell anyone… right…?"

I figured he was talking out loud, more of a reassurance to himself as he talked himself through it. I wasn't exactly sure what he was going on about so I allowed him to rant on to himself.

"You're… good at keeping secrets, eh Kouhai? I mean, you deal with ghosts all the time, spilling their secrets to you and I haven't heard you utter a peep about them…"

I chewed on my lip as his voice carried through the void. He was starting to sound hysterical, but I did nothing to stop his monologuing.

"Can I trust you?"

I stayed mute, expecting him to continue before I realized he was waiting for an answer from me. I relaxed my shoulders, nodding gently, "Of course, Senpai…"

I heard him exhale – a breath of relief. I noted he was trembling slightly when his voice passed his lips again.

"You know, I was infatuated by her. I've never met another girl who confused me so fuckin' much… except you, but you're just strange," he started quietly.

Who _she_ was, I wasn't sure… but I had an idea who.

He sighed again as he continued, "But the stupid bitch… I was completely infatuated with her but all she wanted was that stupid fuckin' bastard… I tried everything I could to prove to her that I was better than him… but it always backfired. No matter what I fuckin' did she would never fucking see how much better I was…" his voice broke off into what sounded like a sob.

It didn't take much to know who he was talking about. While anyone could tell Shimada-senpai had a weird fascination with Kirisaki-senpai, I never thought he was… so in love with her… And Kirisaki-senpai was obviously following Kizami-senpai around all the time like a lost little puppy didn't leave much to the imagination.

I twisted in his arms so I could face him, resting my head on his chest. My heart swelled for him; a part of was jealous that Kirisaki-senpai had stolen his heart. I could emphasize with him; while his attempts were outlandish and often stupid, he did what he thought could win her heart and lost. I couldn't help but feel sort of bad for him. While hopping between girls wasn't that admirable, but gossip whispered between classmates told stories of his odd escapades and schemes.

I couldn't help but wish it was me he wanted instead. I wanted to yell at Kirisaki-senpai for being so blind and inconsiderate. The other half of me was sad… I wanted Senpai to feel that way about me I couldn't shake the kisses he gave me was nothing more than a ruse – like he had darker intentions. I wanted to be the one that Shimada-senpai fought for affection from. I wanted to be the one he's infatuated and will do stupid things for. I wanted him to flirt with me relentlessly; the one he kissed passionately with no other thought but me running through his mind.

"And if that wasn't bad enough…" Senpai croaked, "My fuckin' parents would rather Kizami as a son than me… "Be more like Kizami-san, Kai!" "He's so kind and smart! Why aren't you as successful as him, son?""

I held my breath. I've been in this situation many times before with raving ghosts trying to get whatever troubles off their chest. With every word, he grew louder as his grip on me grew harsher; I was starting to fear something drastic would happen.

"Well excuse me for being my own person! I'm sorry I'm not so God-damned perfect like fuckin' Kizami! I guess I should go around murdering my classmates if everyone wants me to be like him so badly!"

I found one of the arms that held my body fast and wrapped my arms around it. I heard him give a sharp inhale as I clutched onto it, my fingers gently petting the back of his cold to soothe him.

"If… it's any consolation, Senpai… I… like you for who you are… Personality and all."

"Are you…" he paused, trying to place his question into words properly.

I felt my face flush as I looked to the side, chewing onto my bottom lip.

"Are you insinuating that I have a bad personality?" he inquired. I could practically hear the eyebrow raise.

I could only sigh, shaking my head in defeat. I honestly couldn't keep up with him anymore; one minute he seemingly has his heart on his sleeve, then the next he's back to his usual self.

"No Senpai, I – "

"Thanks, Kouhai."

I blinked, slightly taken aback, "Eh…?"

He slumped against me, sighing into my hair. "Just… you aren't allowed to tell that to anyone… ever. If I find out you even breathed this to anyone… I will find you."

I nod curtly, unable to find my voice. I had so many questions rushing through my mind I couldn't flag one down long enough to ask him about it.

It was almost strange to think that Senpai has a complex with Kizami-senpai. While Kizami-senpai did seem to have the more desirably traits, the fact that he parents seemingly rather him than their own son must have hurt. While Senpai could calm himself, and try to be nicer and such, Shimada-senpai is Shimada-senpai; sourness and all.

We were enveloped into the silence of the school once again. This time, it wasn't all that unforgiving; the tension in the air after Senpai's outburst called for silence once more. The sound of his metronome breathing and residence groans and thunder of the school.

I'm not sure how much time passed as we sat. Shimada-senpai was slumped against the wall, not uttering another word since his outburst. I was still feeling wet, but overall much dryer. My hair was still twisted in whatever braid Senpai decided on.

I felt my eyelids fall shut as I leaned into his chest. My mind drifted into nothing as his rhythmic breathing lulled me into a light sleep. He was still beneath me, so I figured he was napping himself, if not deep in thought.

My mind was slow in comparison to the rushing river it was earlier. It was able to rest and process everything that happened more properly. Between finding water, being attacked by ghosts, and digging through corpses, a lot happened that's rough to keep up with.

I almost drifted off completely, content in Senpai's arms when I was jolted awake with a bloodcurdling scream. A sharp gasp fell from my lips when I pulled away from Senpai. He was also startled; he cursed out loud in English as he jumped as well.

"What was that?"

"Like I fuckin' know… and I don't really care."

I crawled out of his lap so I could properly face him. My eyebrows knitted as I looked up at his face, wondering why he was sounding so heartless all of a sudden.

His eyes were shut once more as sweat dribbled down his temple. He looked ashen as he sighed softly, gently rubbing his bad hand.

"Senpai…?"

"We… can always try the infirmary I suppose… We aren't in need of water as desperately anymore."

He rolled his eyes at me, sneering hotly, "So we're going to backtrack now when we could have been there earlier… Right, good plan Kouhai." He sighed suddenly, "Just… give me a minute."

I nod, not saying anything to defend myself. He had a point; I wasn't sure why I didn't want to investigate the infirmary earlier… but I couldn't help but shake a bad feeling. Between the infirmary and the scream we heard… it feels like something is trying to tell us something…

I pulled away to give him a little more room. I never moved very far, still within arm's reach but I couldn't but notice a dark haze that seemed to surround us. I found it strange – although, the school did seem to have a natural haze with it. Perhaps I never noticed how close it was before…

Senpai exhaled dramatically, scratching his neck before tugging at his winged pendant. He sneered to himself, looking at me through half-lidded eyes as I watched his movements.

I couldn't help but feel that something was happening between us – something bad. As I try to connect with him and grow closer, something about his sour personality seems to push me away. Or maybe it was just the school influencing us instead…

I can't be quite sure.

"What? Are you just going to stare at me or something are you going to ask a question?"

"I…"

He waited for me to coherently speak to him.

I didn't really have much to say. I was talked out but I couldn't help but stare at the pendant that adorned his neck. It was almost a signature thing about him; I've never seen anyone else with one before. I was suddenly mesmerized by the light blue gem that had a swirl-like pattern in it. Sterling silver wing stretched out from the gem, tied to his neck with a black velvet rope.

"Where did you get your pendant? It's pretty unique…"

He scoffed, pulling his fingers away from the rope. "This old thing? I don't even remember… Just something stupid my parents bought me while on a trip."

"Oh… Well, it looks cool."

I thought he rolled his eyes but he closed them before I could call out on him. Instead he took a deep breath as if to calm himself before gazing at me once again with his icy-blue eyes that were full of untold intent.

"Would you like it, Kouhai?" he asked smoothly. Within seconds, his voice went from rude, 'I-don't-care-about-you', to smoother than a hot knife through butter.

I gulped.

"W-What do you mean…?"

"I mean, would you like to have it, Kouhai? I personally find it annoying, and a bit too tacky for my person. I was thinking about just throwing it away or telling my parent I lost it… but if you want it instead you can have it."

I couldn't help but be suspicious. There was a part of me said that there was more to what he was saying, that he was partially lying about some parts. Another part was saying that there was something awfully fishy about his sudden change in behaviour…

"Here. Just have it."

He reached up behind his neck, ignoring his ponytail as he unknotted the rope. He twisted it in his fingers so he could place it correctly around my own neck. His fingers tickled my skin as he quickly knotted it once more, smirking into my ear.

"Just… think of it was a gift from me to you, darling."

My eyes widened at his words as he pulled away, leaving the deceivingly light pendant to hand on my neck. My stomach was fluttering about as he grinned wolfishly at me.

My brain was running rapidly, telling me that this is a dream come true. A handsome guy being impossibly nice and giving me things – albeit things he doesn't want anymore.

However, although my heart was beating a mile a minute, it couldn't help but be suspicious. Between his seemingly bipolar personality and the dark haze suddenly surrounding him, I couldn't help but wonder…

What are his true intentions with me?

Did… he just give me his pendant to keep me satisfied with being with him?

* * *

 **I've already started setting up plots for things in the future... I feel so accomplished!**

 **If things go as plan in the next chapter... Well, it's going to be "fun"**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I do not own CP or it's characters. Aika Minoto is my own character.**

 **Warning: This is an M rated fic. You have been warned.**

 **Warning: Unbeta'd. All mistakes are my own.**

* * *

 _No matter how hard we tried, our own sanity wasn't safe from the darkness of the school._

We left the safety of the hallway in favour to go back towards the infirmary for supplies. A part of me hoped we couldn't open the door so that Shimada-senpai wouldn't be as mad for not checking further earlier.

 _The darkness was constantly licking at the corners of our mind. We were slowly falling into the depths without even noticing._

The climb up the stairs seemed much heavier than any time before. Shimada-senpai hasn't said a word since we departed, which was somewhat worrying as he always has something to say.

 _No matter how strong our psyche may be, the school can twist it in its favour. It'll turn people against people, friends against friends…_

I gulped audibly as I stepped on my bad foot. It throbbed painfully under the pressure of my body but I refused to falter as I climbed to the next step. I kept in time with Senpai so I wouldn't lag him down like I have before.

A rift was starting to form, even though I thought we were getting closer. The more Shimada-senpai seemed to open up, the more he appeared to push me away. The unspoken tension was eating at me like no tomorrow, though I figured I should be more worried about the school than boy trouble.

I swallowed again as I felt the heaviness of the pendant swing with every step. I couldn't figure exactly why he suddenly gave it to me… There was more to his intentions than just "I don't want it anymore."

We hit the landing of the stairs, heading back up the hallway towards the infirmary. Even from our distance, I could smell the rotting flesh of Suzumoto-senpai as the buzzing of flies accompanied it. I felt my stomach churn uneasily at the thought of her once more, my skin paling as I nearly stopped.

"Come on. We don't have time."

I didn't argue with him, but I fell in behind him. There was already a natural haze in the school but even just steps ahead of me, Senpai looked more shadowed than he should. It was almost like he himself was being absorbed into the darkness – much like what happened hours earlier during the incident with the girl in the red dress.

Only this time he wasn't giving up. If anything, Senpai is growing more vicious than the malicious spirits that call this place their permanent residence. He was almost becoming bipolar in a way: the nicer he becomes, the more open he is, the quicker he'll turn his back in spite and curse me off.

My mind spun at just the thought of it.

"Is… there more blood here than before…?" he suddenly questioned into the air as we approached the door.

True to his words as I hobbled from behind him, blood splattered the floor leading away from the infirmary. The infirmary door was opened, although I was certain it was closed earlier. I stepped closer to it to investigate, poking my head in to see what was in there.

The room itself wasn't much different than what it was when we were resting in there earlier. Same chipping walls and some holes with the scattered wooden planks that were considered flooring. What was striking was the copious amount of blood that now painted the room. It sprayed nearly everything as it continued to drip quietly from the walls to the floor. The room divider was crimson compared the dusty white it was before, blood also coated the space heater. Whatever happened in there looked like a brutal murder, one in which I didn't want to find the body for. My eyes followed the trail of blood that circled around the room multiple times before it staggered out through the doors.

Shimada-senpai wandered off away from the door, slowly stepping towards the end of the crimson trail. His head tilted sideways as his voice broke the silence.

"Ki… Kirisaki-san…?"

I almost smiled at the familiar same that left his lips but the pure uncertainty made me uneasy. Fear flooded me as possibilities rushed my mind.

"Tohko…?"

The model fell to his knees in one fell swoop.

My body turned to ice as I watched him stay motionless in front of the body that laid cold at the end of the bloody crimson road. His shoulders shook as he slowly reached out to Kirisaki-senpai's body, whispering incoherent things like a mantra under his breath.

I worked up the courage to step closer, silently behind him so I wouldn't disturb him.

Kirisaki-senpai's mouth was a pool of blood. The liquid seeped out the sides, even coming out of her nostrils as her eyes were rolled blankly into the back of her skull. Nearly her entire person was speckled with the same blood that oozed from her mouth. In her lifeless fingers twitched a tongue – her tongue – and a bloody pair of scissors in the other hand.

She cut out her own tongue.

"Tohko… Why… Why the fuck would you do this…?" Senpai whispered hoarsely as his bangs covered his eyes. His shoulders still shook violently so I placed a gentle hand on one in hopes it would soothe him if only just.

He ignored my gesture, instead favouring leaning forward to caress her blood stained cheek. I couldn't see his face, but I figured he was trying his hardest not to cry.

He shook his head repeatedly as if it was the only thing he knew how to do. "I… just don't understand… Tohko – she… she wouldn't do something like this."

My hand fell limply back to my side as I stood almost awkwardly behind him. I still felt ill at the thought that Kirisaki-senpai was alive just hours earlier… and now she's dead with her own tongue between her fingers. While I didn't know her, I couldn't help but wonder what lead her to do this – she seemed like a strong individual.

Shimada-senpai soothed her matted hair underneath his palm, as if in a trance. He was still mumbling things under his breath – along the lines of "why," "Tohko," and "no." I decided to leave Senpai to some private time to collect his thoughts and say his final farewells as I collected myself elsewhere, and to find some medical supplies I could use to change his bandage.

He didn't acknowledge me leaving behind him to enter the room.

It was eerie walking back into the infirmary. It almost looked untouched if not for the copious amounts of blood that stained everything.

Kirisaki-senpai's blood, I had to remind myself.

I was careful not to step into any of her blood – it was the least I could do. It was almost surreal; how could so much blood come from someone anyway? Especially their tongue… The thought made me feel like my own tongue was being chopped off, causing me to recoil in on myself as I approached the medical cabinet.

Handprints staining the cabinet glass indicated someone was rushing to get into it earlier. The utensils inside were scattered about – someone was looking for something.

I could see in my head a terrified and out-of-it Kirisaki-senpai desperately grabbing for a pair of scissors as a means of her only defense from anyone who would want to hurt her, only for her solace to turn on her later and end her life.

I picked around the mess, looking for any signs of dressing or bandages. I leaned over a little to peer into the back of the bottom shelf, having a eureka moment when I eyed the very medical supplies I was searching for. My hand felt around the multiple, once-sterile utensils inside as I blindly reached for the back, slowly pulling them out once I grasped them so I wouldn't lose a hold of it.

Even though I found the bandages and dressing, I found I was frozen in spot, looking at them in my hands. My eyes were trained on the items as if I was transfixed while something dangerous swirled around me. I swore I heard a giggle as I gritted my teeth; fear flooded me as I struggled to regain control of my body from whatever had me strapped down. My breathing came in uneven puffs from my nose as my heart sped a mile a minute, unable to run from whatever was around me.

The second I heard a demonic cackle I was granted access to my body once more. I sprinted out of the room like my life depended on it though I wasn't exactly sure what I was running from – ghosts probably.

I came to a halt without so much of a batted eyelash from Senpai. He was still doting over Kirisaki-senpai's corpse, much like Ohkawa-senpai was doing earlier with Katayama-senpai. He didn't budge even though I came barrelling out of the infirmary like a maniac, seemingly running from nothing.

"S-Senpai…" I huffed, out of breath despite the short sprint it was. I was still shaking in my shoes though Senpai didn't seem to notice – or care.

"Shimada-senpai…" I tried again, swallowing as I quickly darted my eyes around. I felt anxious; I felt like something was smothering us and all I wanted to do was get away. I squeezed the medical supplies tightly in my hands.

Receiving not even a grunt, I juggled both items one arm so I could place a hesitant hand on his shoulder.

The next thing I knew was that I was being harshly shoved away with the wind knocked out of me; the medical supplies fell to the floor with the exertion. My first instinct was that the ghosts were back attacking me; I quickly composed myself to drag Shimada-senpai away from the danger.

I frantically looked up, only to meet the eyes of Shimada-senpai staring down at me. I wasn't sure what I thought at first; I think I was confused. I don't remember Senpai standing up so fast, but I shook it off that I was just dazed from being knocked down. It was until I caught the darkness looming over him that I wasn't so sure.

"S-Senpai…?"

"Shut the fuck up."

A small gasp escaped me as my eyebrows knitted. I had to do a double take; did I hear him correctly? I slowly climbed to my feet as I watched him warily. "Wha…?"

"You heard me, Kouhai."

I swallowed loudly, my heart drumming in my ears. There was a shift in the air and I swore I heard a giggle in the stiff atmosphere. A cold sweat started to break out on my already clammy skin, causing me to shiver against the residual coolness of the building.

I took an uneven breath. My hands tightened by my side before I relaxed them, looking down away from Senpai's darkened eyes. "We should get a move on."

"You don't get it, do you?" he spat out viciously. "Where the fuck do you think we'll go, hmm?"

I stayed silent, unable to meet his gaze. I could feel him glaring down at me as I forced myself to remain calm. He was just upset over Kirisaki-senpai's death…

"We'll find a way out…" I whispered to him, but my words sounded empty even to myself. Empty promises laced pitifully amongst whatever comfort I tried to conjure.

He laughed. It was so sudden, so disturbing; it was unnatural. It was a cackled that seemed to echo throughout the school and into my ears. The vacuum of the school did nothing to block it out; it merely emphasized the eerie sound against the void.

"You are really fucking stupid, Kouhai."

My head snapped up. I stared at him with disbelief. What was he going on about? Why is he being so heartless all of a sudden? "Excuse me?"

He laughed again, breaking out of his stiff pose so he could look around. There was a smile on his face, but it was a pity smile. His eyes were unfocused; it was a wonder whether or not he was even paying attention. His bangs were casting a dark shadow over his forehead, adding a menacing glint to his already unnerving eyes.

"Do you really think there's a way out? Wouldn't you agree that we would have found it by now?"

I bit the inside of my lip, a moment passing with bated breath. "There… there's a whole other wing we haven't explored yet…"

He groaned loudly, pacing away from me in irritation. When he decided to look back at me, there was no kindness left on his face as he glared darkly at me. "You just don't get it, do you Kouhai? We are going to fucking die in here, just like Tohko did. We are going to die and there's not a damned thing we can do about it."

"There won't be if you keep talking like that." I stepped forward, putting on a brave face. He was just stressed; he just came across the body of someone who was important to him. He just needed to be reminded that there is a way out… or at least, there was the hope that will lead us on. "There's got to be a way out, and we _will_ find it, Shimada-senpai."

A sharp slap across my cheek sent me reeling. I was momentarily stunned as my left ear rang from the force. My eyes welled up as my cheek immediately started to redden in the shape of his hand.

"You just don't fucking get it, Kouhai."

"Wh… Why the hell did you slap me for?!"

I met his eyes with an equally heated gaze. Tears threatened to fall from my eyes as I forced my lip not to quiver. I could feel myself tremble, both from anger and fear. If I paid close enough attention, I could almost see the darkness swirling around us, coaxing us further…

The model suddenly stood straight up, staring down at me like I was an insignificant pile of dirt. He sneered, "I can't believe I was so stupid to think you were smart enough to get me out of this shithole."

His words struck me almost as hard as his slap did. It left an odd ringing in my ears.

He pressed on without my consent, "It was a brilliant plan if I do say so myself… You were so easy to fool, honestly. Who better to keep me alive in a school full of ghosts than a girl who can actually _talk to ghosts_. The constant bullying in your life made it so much easier to convince you I actually cared for you…"

I felt my breath escape me at his words. My knees threatened to crumble as my heart throbbed painfully. I tried to combat his claims but found my mouth just gaping in awe. No sounds came out but a tiny squeak.

"You were laughably easy to toy with – I don't think I've ever had an easier venture. And when you were starting to question me, all I had to do was fucking kiss you or some dumb shit like that. That would shut you up real fast."

"You… you were using me…" I dumbed it down in a small voice.

He looked at me incredulously, "Are you only figuring that out now, Kouhai? Of course I was only fucking using you! Did you honestly think that a handsome guy like me would _ever_ think about getting with a dumb freak like you?"

That stung a lot more than I would like to admit. Of course, he was right though. Why would a literal model want to get with a freak like me? I should've realized from the start; everything he did up until now was to keep me around so I'd save him from the ghosts in the school. He put up with me every moment because, in the long run, he knew it would be worth it if it meant his own life was at stake. Admittedly, it was an ingenious plan… if it never involved tricking me into thinking he actually cared for me…

He said some other things, more than likely along the lines of degrading me once more but I wasn't listening. I was trapped inside my own mind; a swirling vortex of self-hatred and regret. Why did I allow myself to fall so deep so fast with someone I knew I had no chance with? How was I so blind to see his true intentions? Why did I think he was above using me for his own selfish purposes…?

If anything… I guess it explained why his kisses felt so heartless…

I'm not sure how long I was left standing in the dark. When I came to, Senpai was long gone, leaving me alone with nothing but Kirisaki-senpai's decomposing corpse to keep me company.

The weight of it all crashed down on me as I let out a sob. No matter what I did, I still ended up alone. Even when I was being used, the other person finally gives up and realizes how truly worthless I really am…

Without really knowing where I was going, I turned around and started to walk. Somewhere in my mind, I was screaming to go and find Senpai but I wasn't really listening to that part of me. Instead, I walked back down the way we came towards the stairs – perhaps to check out the second wing after all. Besides, this section of the school was pretty much explored… why not try to second wing?

A part of me was praying to whatever gods that would listen to me that there was a way out and that I could somehow run into Shimada-senpai to lead him there, only for use to reconcile over what happen and all will be well.

Without warning, something brushed passed me that was distinctly human. I never noticed it, not until I heard the heavy panting of a young girl as she rushed passed me. I spun my head around, just to catch a glimpse of a small person in a purple dress climbing the stairs to where I just came from.

I went to call out to her before I found my voice caught in my throat.

"Well… If it isn't Minoto-san…"

My eyes widened with fear as I recognized the tall figure between me and the door to the second wing.

Kizami-senpai had blood splatters across his face, coating his white shirt with its crimson glow. He still wielded Shimada-senpai's knife, blood dripping from the sharp blade and onto the floor.

"And where's Shimada-san gone to? I was most certain you two were together…" He took a step forward. "I suppose he is quite… insufferable. It was only a matter of time you would blow him off, eh Minoto-san?"

He was subtly closing the gap between us, I was aware of that, but I found myself grounded to the wood. His dark eyes were narrowed with insanity and try as I might, I couldn't force myself to look away from the growing grin he had on his face.

"Would you like me to accompany you instead… little _kouhai_?"

Hearing the words drip from his mouth broke me from my trance. A part of me grew onto the cruel use of _kouhai_ for only Shimada-senpai to say, even if I doubt I'll ever hear it from his lips again.

Ignoring the throbbing in my foot, I took off up the stairs to my right, hoping I could possibly lose him before I got stuck in a dead end.

I could hear his menacing laughter echo through the halls, much like Senpai's proclamation of using me did earlier.

" _Run, little Kouhai! Run before I catch you!_ "

I quickly ran passed Kirisaki-senpai's corpse, grimly hoping that the sight of her corpse would slow him down for a moment. I knew it was a bad thing to want; I would never use Kirisaki-senpai against Kizami-senpai if it meant my life over her own.

Deciding to skip the infirmary, thinking it was too close to my chaser that he could probably still see me, I ran deeper into the shadow of the school, desperate for a hiding spot. I quickly decided to run up the stairs instead of down the other hall that would have lead back downstairs. I didn't bother to check to see if Kizami-senpai was still chasing me; I don't know how well he knows this school. For all I know, he could've just went straight, thinking he'd cut me off as I barrelled down the identical stairs at the other end of the long hall.

With my breathing heavy and ankle throbbing rapidly, I quickly delved into the male washrooms. Almost panicking, I tried each of the stall doors, hoping that they would magically be unlocked so I could hide in them.

"Oh God please…" I found myself whispering.

If my memory served me correctly, the last stall was unlocked earlier, but preoccupied by someone who didn't want to be disturbed. I held my breath, knocking on the stall door as it was my only hope.

"E-excuse me…?"

" _I'm sorry, m'dear, but this stall is preoccupied… and I believe you are in the wrong lavatory_ ," came the gentle reply.

My mouth felt dry as my knees grew weak. Tears threatened to fall as I swore I heard the sound of footsteps somewhere underneath the sound of my hammering heart.

"I… know… I just…"

I collapsed to my knees with a sob. Fear attacked every nerve as I shook uncontrollably. This was it; Kizami-senpai was going to come into the bathroom to find me cowering in the corner, unable to hide because there was a ghost in the stall.

The door squeaked open and I flinched, the only thing I heard was the beat of my own heart. I was looking down at my lap, tears falling freely as I wondered what was taking Kizami-senpai so long to attack me, knowing I was completely defenseless.

" _Oh dear… Look at you, you poor thing…"_ the voice from the stall cooed into my ears.

I felt my chin being lifted as I was brought face-to-face with a ghost who could only be truly described as a gentleman.

His features were soft as he smiled gingerly at me. His eyes were kind as he did a once-over of me, his glasses perched on his nose while his felt hat covered his hair. He was wearing a tuxedo with a bowtie looking very out of this time era. A blue hue covered him like most of the spirits in this school; his presence offered a bit of reprieve in the darkness.

" _Hush now, m'dear… There's no need to cry like this now…"_ he called gently, removing the kerchief from his breast pocket to wipe my tears away. " _Let's get you in here…_ "

Without my consent, I felt his cool arms wrap around my body in attempts to lift me into the stall he was just preoccupying. My knees threatened to give out again as he helped turn me around so I could sit on the stall floor, narrowing avoiding the opening for the toilet. I was pushed tightly into the left corner of the stall.

The ghost in front of me knelt down to my level, ignoring the dirt that would've stained his suit if he wasn't dead. He proceeded to whisper to me while a hand dried my tears.

" _Now,_ " he said after my sobbing started to slow down. " _Why were you crying so much, m'dear_?"

I swallowed thickly as my breath got caught in my throat. I forced myself to breathe through my nose in an attempt to calm myself. "I… I thought I was going to die."

He listened intently, waiting for me to continue. "I… I was being chased and I had nowhere to hide but… in here…"

He nodded slowly, dabbing my cheeks once more to rid them of the salty tracks my tears left. " _Do you believe you are still being chased?_ "

I nodded my head dumbly, unable to find my voice.

He said nothing as he stood up, folding his kerchief back into his pocket. He suddenly faded through the door behind him, leaving me alone in the stall he allowed me to hide in. I used this time alone to bring my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around them as I rested my head on my knees. Another sob threatened to escape me when he returned with a gentle smile on his face.

" _Well, I never saw anyone nearby so I believe you outran your chaser, m'dear._ "

His words settled my uneasiness if only just slightly, but my body still trembled from the fear and exertion, not to mention my ankle dutifully throbbed underneath the gauze that covered it. He seemed to notice my grimace, bending down to my level once more.

" _I would be more than happy to allow you to stay in here for a while and rest, milady. I find this stall quite comforting from the darkness of the school…"_

I nod my head shakily, "Thank you…"

The ghost moved to sit next to me, squeezing himself in the little space to my right. He hummed a quiet tune to himself which helped calm my nerves.

" _So, since we're going to be acquaintances, it might as well we know each other's name."_

"O-Oh… right. My… name is Minoto Aika."

A ghostly hand was presented in front of me. I took it, only for the hand to take mine and bring it up to the ghostly lips of my companion. " _It is a pleasure to meet you, Minoto-san. I am Shimoda Souichiro."_ He let go of my hand.

"Shi… Shimoda…?"

It was strikingly familiar to Shimada-senpai, causing my heart to constrict painfully. New tears welled in my eyes as I tried my best not to break down again. His betrayal was still very fresh in my mind and heart; I never really had the chance to dwell on it until now.

" _Oh dear me… I… I'm sorry that my name offends you in some way."_

I shook my head, "N-No… I'm sorry… It's just my…" Friend? Companion? Former possible lover? "Schoolmate… he had a similar name… but he…" Shimoda-san pursed his lip, staying silent as he draped an arm around my shoulders to comfort me. "Shimada-senpai… he left me… alone. We got in a fight and he left." I left the part out about him using me; I didn't feel that was important to mention it.

" _I'm sorry he left you… This school does things to people that no one quite understands."_

I bit my lip, nodding in agreement. We stayed silent, the dripping of the tap nearby the only sound I could hear that wasn't my own heart or breathing. The ghost beside me was silent as he allowed me to collect myself.

I wanted to get Shimada-senpai and Kizami-senpai out of my mind. Delving into a ghost's past was my speciality, as well as it served as a good way to forget about what just transpired.

"So…" I murmured. "If you don't mind me asking… how did you end up in here?"

The way he spoke, his clothes, his whole demeanor… it didn't fit the scheme for the school. I doubted he was a teacher; it wasn't that he seemed so young, rather he just seemed… out of time.

" _I was forced here by accident,"_ he sighed, pushing his glasses back onto his nose. " _You see, I am not from this era, as you may already gather. My family once owned the property this school was originally built on. I haunted the same bathroom when this school was still around – it was the only place I felt safe in, I'm afraid."_

"But why are you here now?"

" _I… got trapped here when this school was recreated. I'm not sure exactly how long I've been here, unfortunately… All I do know is that I can no longer pass, no matter how hard I try."_

"Oh… and… no one ever sought to appease you in your time in the school?"

I caught him raising his eyebrow in confusion. " _Appease, my dear? What young child would seek to appease the kind ghost in the bathroom stall? I was more of a celebrity if anything. I could remember them; they always had bright smiles on their face when I appeared."_

A laugh got caught in my throat as I smiled. I suppose kid would act accordingly; why would they think to help the gentleman who just so happened to use one of their toilets? He seemed like a gentle guy, able to deal with kids accordingly. The spark in his eye told me he didn't mind it at all either.

"I'm… just sorry you got trapped in here. You already did you time, and you deserve to have the chance to move on."

His smile grew sad as he nodded. " _My only regret is that I can no longer see my dear Aya-chan who passed away before I had the chance to say goodbye… I… It's hard, but I keep going because that is what she wished."_

I couldn't string the words together to offer my condolences. I wished I could appease him myself, but my heart was too heavy with its own heartache to be any help.

"I… I'm sorry…" I murmured. I wasn't sure what else to say really.

" _Fret not, m'dear… It's all in the past. I… Some days I wish she told me of her condition, however. If she did… then perhaps I would never have left her side to begin with. The thought of fame and fortune would never have seduced me as much as it did if only I had known."_

"Huh?"

The ghost gave a tight-lipped smile, " _I travelled to the west to make money – like many people of my age did in that time. I was blinded by the fantasy of striking it rich… not realizing how truly rich I was at home. It wasn't until she passed that I learned my mistake."_

That explained why he seemed to have a small accent when he spoke; he must know how to speak English or some other western language.

I watched him shift, reaching for something on the inside of his jacket pocket. I noticed a jewelled necklace in his fingers, the necklace I wore around my neck suddenly weighing a ton. He looked nostalgic, carefully thumbing the large crystal before depositing it back where it came, not bothering to mention it.

" _Nevertheless, I can at least be of some use and help the poor fools that wound trapped in here. It's a shame, really."_

I decided not to question him about the necklace; the poor man deserved a bit of privacy. "You… don't know how people get trapped in here, do you?"

I heard him sigh, shaking his head no. " _I'm afraid not… Although, there seems to be sort of a pattern that I've picked up from overhearing other conversation."_

"A pattern?"

" _Indeed. While so far most victims were definitely students of schools – mostly middle and high school students – is that they mention doing a charm just moments before being trapped in here."_

I sucked in a shaky breath. Shimada-senpai mentioned doing a charm just moments before being sucked into this hell. If I remembered correctly, he said that there were dire consequences if you messed up the charm… so if what Shimoda-san was saying was true, then it was safe to assume that the charm directly related to the school. That means that someone messed it up when they were doing it… whether intentionally or not.

Curiously though… if that was true, then there was a lot of people that messed it up. Too many, now that I thought about it. The charm couldn't have been _that_ well known, despite being advertised on Saenoki-san's blog. The number of people who did it wrong is so staggeringly high that it didn't seem plausible… could it?

" _I take it you know the charm I speak of,"_ Shimoda-san chuckled.

I blushed, blinking out of my thoughts. "I, uh… Yeah. Sorry…" I cleared my throat, "But yes. I do – the Sachiko Ever After charm… That's what my friends did before they got here as well."

" _Sachiko Ever After…? Curious… That shares the same name as one of the children in this school if I'm not mistaken."_

"What, Sachiko?"

" _Indeed… I believe it's the one always wearing that red dress, the poor thing. She doesn't even have a pair of shoes. I tried to talk to her one day but the child blatantly ignored me… as well as the three children."_

Shimoda-san continued to drone on but I stopped listening. The girl in the red dress – the same girl who threatened to kill myself and Senpai earlier – had the same name as the very charm that seemed to trap people in here.

There's no way that this is a coincidence anymore if it ever was one.

My mind whirled around with everything that's transpired. Between my falling out with Senpai, being chased once more by Kizami-senpai, my relatively pleasant conversation with Shimoda-senpai and the revelation of Sachiko and her charm.

I breathed out whatever stress had pent up in my body. I slowly stood up, earning a questionable look from my ghostly friend.

" _Minoto-san_?"

I brushed the dirt from the back of my skirt, fixing Shimada-senpai's blazer properly onto my shoulders. I felt a little better now, having rested with a gentle soul. I felt a fire begin to burn within me. Despite the bitterness of his betrayal, I still felt responsible for getting him – and anyone else I could find – out. I was determined to go find him, possibly give him a sharp slap across the cheek, and learn whatever more I could about this supposed charm.

"I thank you very much for allowing me to hide in here, Shimoda-san, but I should get going and find as much as I can out about this charm…"

He smiled, standing up as well. " _I wish I could be more helpful to you, dear Minoto-san, but I'm glad I was able to shelter you, if only for a moment."_

I gave the ghost a sweet smile before opening the stall door. The calming atmosphere of the stall was quickly wiped away by the ever-looming doom the school. My newfound confidence almost quickly shattered under the weight of the school. I gulped audibly, calming my nerves as I stepped out. Shimoda-san was behind me, offering an encouraging smile.

" _If you need to come back, milady, feel free to come back. My stall is yours."_

I was touched by his words, grinning at the man. With our final goodbyes, I exited the male lavatories, determined to find Shimada-senpai once more, and whatever I could about this mysterious girl in the red dress.

* * *

 **Forgive me for being away so long! I had this chapter started for so long (sitting on my computer with about 1k words for the last few months). I finally broke down and finished it the passed two days.**

 **I probably didn't handle Souichiro Shimoda very well... Nor did Aika and Kai's fight seem good. I don't know. I guess I just don't like this chapter (I recently reread chapters 8-10 and frankly, I really like the ending of chapter 8... I think I spoiled myself)**

 **Also: Shimoda, Shimada. Very interesting coincidence.**

 **But yeah! Main protagonists are actually separated for once! Yay! Man, it would be an absolute shame if _anything were to happen._ **

**_Edit: So I finally got around to drawing a picture of Aika! She's not coloured or anything but at least you'll have an idea what she actually looks like... If you're interested, you can check her out on my deviantART page - Amaranthynn_**

 ** _or just type in this link... [without spaces or "( )" ] (Sorry... FF is very difficult when it comes to links)_**

 ** _(_** ** _h)(t)(t)p:/ / amaranthynn .deviantart. (c)(o)m/ art/Corpse-Party-OC-695230449_**


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